Russell Ramblings

Identity Crisis

2011-04-03T22:05:00.002-04:00

i-den-ti-ty- (noun, plural)- condition or character as to who a person or what a thing is.

What exactly is my identity? This is the very question I have been asking myself for the past year. Like who am I? When I was young, elementary school, I was Jamie Isaacs' sister and Jimmy and Lisa Isaacs daughter. When I went to middle school, I was Jennifer Bowen's friend, Jamie's little sister, and a cheerleader. When I got to high school I was still Jamie's little sister and a cheerleader, but then I became Barry Russell's girlfriend, and the "good" girl. After I graduated I continued being Barry Russell's girlfriend, but then I became known as that little nail tech at Krista James. I was those for a few years but then I got married and became Barry's wife. And from there I became Isaac and Eli's mom. So for MANY years I have been known as "some one's" person whether it be a sister, daughter, friend, girlfriend, wife or mom. Like seriously I go to church and I'm known as, "oh your Barry's wife." And then when I go to the gym I get, "your Isaac an Eli's mommy." Both associations are great. I LOVE being those people, but over the past year I've realized that I wanted my own identity as well. I wanted to be known as Nikki! I wanted to go out and someone to recognize me for me and not as an association to someone else. The crazy thing was to me is that it took me so many years to realize this. I think it wasn't such an issue when I was growing up because I lived in a town that knew ME even with those associations. But when I moved to Columbia, SC, that is where I lost it. Barry had already been up in SC for several months when I finally moved. So he had set up a life and friendships. And so when I arrived to join him that is how I was introduced because people knew him. Which was fine in the beginning, but after 8 years of marriage and living in the same state I figured eventually that would end. It hasn't. Then after that I eventually became Isaac and Eli's mom. With all that said about a year ago I decided I wanted to find me. I needed to find me. I needed to appreciate me and the person I had now become. During this time I got job at the boys preschool, and I honestly think this was God's way of giving me my OWN identity. With the job I became Nikki and I found a ton of new friends (the ladies I work with that I love being with). And I LOVE it!!! I love that I'm still "Barry's wife" and "Isaac and Eli's mom", but I LOVE being known as Ms. Nikki. And what I love even more is going to the mall, a restaurant, grocery store, or wherever and hearing someone say to me, "hi you're Ms. Nikki right?" or "Hi Ms. Nikki!!!!" I LOVE it. I love knowing that I've found out who I am for now. And I look forward to all the other "identities" I end up with in years to come.

I LOVE This Commercial

2011-03-30T22:23:00.002-04:00

Every time this commercial comes on, I die laughing. I'm not sure why it's SO funny, but it is. I think its because I do so many of the things the people are doing while their driving. Check it out!

You've Got to be Kidding Me!!!!

2011-03-28T14:22:00.003-04:00

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

This morning I was getting ready for work and saw the above segment on the Today Show. I am completely appalled by Abercrombie & Fitch. For the longest time Barry and I have actually refused to go into any of their stores because of what they are promoting to teenagers. But now, BUT NOW they have just gone too far. I mean seriously a padded bikini top for a 7 year old?!!!!! What is that telling a second grade girl?!! I will tell you what it is telling them! It is telling them that beauty is on the outside and that you HAVE to HAVE certain things on your body to get looked at or for "people" to "like" you. It is teaching them at 7 years old how to have a low self esteem and self image problems. At 7 you are supposed to be worrying about nothing, but maybe who your best friend is this week or next, NOT about if your bikini top makes your boobs look good!!!!!! I think it is absolutely disgusting that A&E is doing this, and from this point on I WILL NOT, did you hear me? WILL NOT buy or even enter Abercrombie & Fitch stores or anything associated with them. First they had ads that were taken from the shelves because they were considered soft porn, now they are teaching little girls that beauty is judged on the outside, so what's next, thong pull-ups?!!!!!!

Compassion

2011-03-24T17:39:00.003-04:00

I believe I have one of the MOST compassionate children out there. Isaac sees something that breaks his heart and he wants to fix it. For example, a few months back, January I think, Barry and Isaac were driving home. And on the way home they got stopped at a railroad crossing, and right beside the railroad crossing is a farm with tons of goats. Well there were lots of new baby goats and Isaac saw one that's head was stuck in the wire fence. Barry saw it too, but didn't want to make a big deal. Well Isaac saw it and actually began to cry because he was so sad that the baby couldn't get back to his momma. Barry saw him tearing up and asked him what he thought they should do and he told Barry that had to stop now and he had to go fix it. So Barry being the good daddy that he is, he pulled over and dug thru his toolbox on his truck and found a hammer and was able to free the baby goat. Isaac was super excited. Any ways, so yesterday Rodney from church (he works with Barry) was mowing the back of the church property and found a baby turtle in the stream. He brought it to Barry and told him to take it home to the boys. Of course Barry did. So when we got home that day the baby turtle was on the kitchen table, and Isaac fell in love with this little guy. We had to find him a home, so we put him in one of our old hermit crab cages. We had to find him food, so we cut up a carrot and got some grass. We had to get him water, so I poured a small amount of water into the change. We had made him the perfect home. And Isaac seriously went out every 10 minutest to check on him. Well early this morning, like 2 am, a major rain came. I was having a hard time sleeping so I was on the couch and I hear little feet coming down the stairs. Next thing I know Isaac is walking over to the back door. I knew what he was going to do next, he came over and woke me up to tell me that he NEEDED to go check on the turtle. It was raining and he might be drowning. I informed him that he was on our covered porch and he was fine because turtles live in water. He was content with that and went back to bed. Well as soon as he woke up this morning he ran to the back door opened it and checked on the turtle, and of course he was fine. So there are two examples of this child's compassion for animals. But he also has compassion for people too. If he hears someone is sick or hurt he wants us to stop and pray for them. Like last week there was an ambulance in our neighborhood and we were outside playing and wanted us to stop and pray for them. And he LOVES going to feed homeless people with Barry and not to just give them food, he wants to get them coats and blankets if its cold. And So again this morning after checking on the turtle, he turned on the TV and the night before we had been watching something on A&E. Well when he turned it on there was a show about Earthquakes and Tsunami's. I was in the shower and heard him yell. I had no idea what was going on. He finally barged into the bathroom to tell me that we needed to help some people in China!! I was like what?! He told me that the earth had shook and caused this HUGE surfing wave to flood everyone's house and that they were sick, hungry, and some were still lost. I tried not to make a huge deal out of it, but did tell him that they were being helped (I'm sure this show was from an early viewing so it hadn't just happened). He again was content, but said we needed to pray for them. I'm telling you this kid has great compassion for every kind of being. I can't wait to see what God has planned for him, well I can since I don't want him to grow up so fast, but still I KNOW God is working him into an important person for His kingdom. How many 5 year olds do you know that would be this concerned for hurting people in China or even the ones in their own town that don't have a warm place to sleep?

Luke 5:17-20 (Isaac Version)

2011-03-22T15:01:00.005-04:00

This morning while we were getting ready for school Barry was reading his Bible and Eli kept trying to take it out of his hand. So Barry asked him if he wanted him to read it and of course Eli did.

Barry- Okay we are going to read about the paralyzed man that Jesus healed.

Isaac- Hey I know this story! We read it last week at school.

Barry- Really bud? How does it go then?

Isaac- Well, Jesus was in this city making people better. And there was this guy who was sick and couldn't walk and so his friends carried him to see Jesus on a board. When they got to the building they couldn't get in to see Jesus. So his friends climbed to the roof with him and then dug a hole in the roof and dropped him down to see Jesus with a rope on the board. He then landed in front of Jesus. And Jesus told him, "Get up and walk, you're better."

Barry-That was pretty good bud.

Isaac- I know!

The actual story is this...

Luke 5:17-20

(17) One day Jesus was teaching, and Pharisees and teachers of the law were sitting there. They had come from every village of Galilee and from Judea and Jerusalem. And the power of the Lord was with Jesus to heal the sick. (18) Some men came carrying a paralyzed man on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. (19) When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crowd, right in front of Jesus. (20) When Jesus saw their faith, He said, "Friend, your sins are forgiven."

Don't you just love a kids prospective on things, especially the Bible?!

Soul Surfer

2011-03-21T14:07:00.002-04:00

Last Tuesday Barry and I were invited to an invitation only screening of this movie. And it is amazing!!! It hits the theater for all to see on April 8th and YOU must go see it!!! I believe this is going to be the most heart warming movie in 2011!!!! Check out the trailer for it, and then go see it.

Zoo Fun

2011-03-21T13:45:00.007-04:00

For any one that knows us, you know we LOVE going to the zoo. It is something we have done on a regular basis since Isaac was a few months old. My wonderful mom-in-law happen to suggest that we get one for Isaac first Christmas. I was totally up for. And so she got it for us for Christmas in 2005 and has gotten us one every year since then. We LOVE it!! It is an awesome gift. Not only do we get in for free each visit, but we get discounts on other fun things they offer, and then we get to go to "members only" events, and then at Christmas they have the BEST light show. Well this year Nanny really treated us and got us a Family Explorer Pass, and with this pass we get an special arm band every time we go and we get to do anything we want........for FREE!!!!!!!!! It is awesome!!! Our zoo has SO many extras that we never did that the boys always wanted to do, and now they can!!!

They can feed the Giraffe's,

ride the ponies,

ride the train, and ride the carousel,

and they can climb the rock wall, and climb the coconut tree, and go see the 3-D movie. They can do ALL of that for FREE!!!!

All I can say is THANK YOU Nanny!!! We LOVE it!!!!

Sunshine!

2011-03-21T13:39:00.003-04:00

It has been absolutely beautiful here in Columbia, SC the past few weeks and we have taken full advantage of the SUNSHINE!!! I personally have been going out in the afternoon after I put Eli down for his nap to get some good vitamin D in me. Well the above picture shows that I have a little guy who likes to do whatever his momma is doing. I even had to pull out my old beach chair!! Love that boy!!!

Happy Birthday Dr. Seuss

2011-03-12T16:02:00.003-05:00

“Today you are You, that is truer than true.

There is no one alive who is Youer than You."

In case you didn't know, last Wednesday (actually two Wednesdays ago) was Dr. Seuss' birthday!!! So from Isaac to him, HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! We made the hat at school in honor of The Cat in the Hat.

Something to Think About

2011-03-12T15:40:00.004-05:00

This past week it was brought to my attention, by myself if I might add, that I take my boys being around for granted. It's not that I do it intentionally, but that sometimes I just for get that they could be gone and not mine at any given moment. I take for granted their arguments, wrestling matches, loud playing, and so much more. I'm always telling them to settle down, don't fight, be quiet, and do you really have to wrestle every night with daddy? It's out of habit and stress I'm sure, but it's NO excuse. If I didn't have ALL that chaos going on in my life's background I don't know what I'd do. And if I didn't have an almost three year old asking, "why?" every time I say something I'd be devastated. With all that this week I've challenged myself to be more aware and not so annoyed with them over the little things. I know they can't be out control children with no boundaries (which they are that very thing sometimes), but they can be themselves. I really do want them to use their loud voices when they play. I love to hear them using their imaginations. And as for the arguing and wrestling, well, I know they are boys and that is part of the deal. So the next time I get the urge to yell, "Please just stop talking!! I need 5 minutes of quiet!!!" I'm not going to. I'm going sit down and savor that moment. Because they are not for always. They are God's and He can decide at any moment to take them back, and if I haven't enjoyed these moments now, I might not ever get to again. And so, if you are a mom, I challenge you to do the very same thing the next week or so. Enjoy your kids, they are super fun!!!

Whether they are acting like this or....

If they are acting like this, cherish them.

My Swagger Wagon

2011-03-11T22:50:00.004-05:00

Okay so you all know by a post way back when that I LOVE the Toyota Sienna commercials with the mom and dad. They crack me up. Anyways back in November I got my own Swagger Wagon. It's not a Toyota Sienna, but its a Honda Odyssey, which is the same to me. The best part is the story behind it. So if you have time sit down, grab a cup of hot tea and enjoy..... it's a LONG one. But with this long one you will get pretty much caught up on some major things that happened that I didn't post about last year.

So for about a year now I had really been looking at bigger cars. I had a wonderful SUV that was paid off and still running just fine, so I honestly couldn't see getting anything newer and add a payment. Well as most of you know, back in August our old senior pastors daughter moved in with us to finish out her senior year here at Irmo High School. Well with that transition her parents gave us their 2000 Dodge Caravan if we gave Kate our 2002 Montero Sport. I had been praying for a new van, not a Dodge and I had been very specific, so I thought God was providing the Dodge. And before I go any further I will share with you what my specific prayer request was just so you know. I was specifically praying for a Toyota Sienna or Honda Odyssey minivan that was less 10 years old and had less than 100,000 miles on it, and was under $9000. And when I say specific I mean I seriously prayed these very things. So like I said, when they offered us their 2000 Dodge I was like well God I'm not one for settling, but I'll take because maybe I'm being spoiled and FREE is always better. We took the offer and Sissy Kate got our SUV. I still continued to pray for my specific "swagger wagon" just in case God had something still out there for us. Well the end of October and first week of November Barry and I decided that we were going to stop looking for a new van. We just weren't finding the one for us with our specific request.

Well Barry left the first week of November to go to Hawaii to visit Wes Luke and then to California to visit his brother and his family. One of the Sunday's he was gone I was driving to church and passed the Publix by our house. As looked over and saw a navy blue Honda Odyssey parked in the parking lot with a FOR SALE sign on it. Interesting I thought to myself. I couldn't really see anything the sign said on it, but I did catch an 88,000. I knew that was the mileage and I got disappointed. I knew it was out of our league if it only had 88,000 miles on it. And off to church I continued. But the whole time in the service I kept thinking of THAT van. After church the boys and I went to lunch with some friends and then Isaac went home with them for the afternoon. I decided to run to the fabric store to get fabric to finish Christmas presents I was making. On the way home Eli fell asleep and something, God, told me to go look at that van. So I did. I drove up and was like this is the van for us. Looked at the sign and it read that it had 88,000 miles on it and it was a 2003. I stopped and looked again that there was TWO of our three specific prayer request. I almost stopped readying because I knew there was NO way it would meet our third request of being under $9000. But I went on and it said $8900. My eyes blurred up and I re looked....$8900, $8900, $8900. I kept saying it over and over again. This HONDA ODYSSEY, met ALL THREE of our request!!!! LESS THAN 10 YEARS OLD, LESS THAN 100,000 MILES, AND LESS THAN $9000!!!!! I immediately took a picture with my phone and sent it to Barry saying, "I think this is our "GOD" van". He replied back well get the number and call. So I did. And the story gets better!!!!

Son on Monday I drove by there when I took Isaac to school and the van was still there. I was praising Jesus. I got back home and called the number. A soft spoken lady answered and I went on to share with her that we were interested in the van and wanted to see why they were selling it for such a great deal. She went on to tell me that her father had given her and her husband a vehicle, but the terms were they had to keep it. She said they were Honda people, but with her fathers request and mileage on his vehicle they just felt like they should sell the van. I then ventured out to tell her how we had prayed these specifics and this van met them all and how I thought God was providing us this van. I was sure she thought I was crazy. And I even told her that she probably did. She began laughing and said, "No mam you're not crazy! My husband is a pastor of a church here in Irmo and I totally understand praying for things." As soon as she said that a lump came in my throat and I knew God was all over this. She went on, "My husband and I have been praying to see which car we were supposed to sell, his Honda Accord or my Honda Odyssey. And we had actually decided on the Accord. But then last week God told us both that we were to sell the van. So we looked it up and thought okay well this is a better deal, we can get more money. Then God woke her up the night before they parked it to show it off to sell and told her that they had to make is less than $9000 and they needed to park it at Publix." Did you just read that folks?!!!!! God had told them to sacrifice and sell a car they could make more money off and selling it for less. And not just less for $8900 and then to place it at Publix!!! I started shaking as soon as she shared. And then she said, "well and God told us there was a family in Irmo that needed this van. And so we did what He told us to do, trusting we would be blessed and would bless a family." I busted out that I thought we were the family and then told her my husband would be home Tuesday night and we wanted to see and test drive the car on Wednesday morning. And I knew from the moment that God was blessing us. After all that prayer and then honestly just totally giving it over to Him and really giving up that desire for that "specific" vehicle. I look back and about the time God told them to sell their van was the same time we decided if God had it we had either already received it (Dodge Van) or it was out there and would become available in His time. God is SO funny like that.

Well the story gets better!!!!! I told you it was long, but SO good. So I called Barry and told him everything and he was stoked. That afternoon I sat down and decided to see how we would fit another payment into our already VERY tight budget. I figured up that we could do about $150 extra per month. We would just not eat out a few times and I would really start watching coupons. I also prayed that if this was really HIS van then He would open up all the doors, even the finance ones. Tuesday arrived and at the last minute that morning I decided to send the both boys to mini-munchers after school (stay an hour longer to eat lunch and play). I really never did this because it was extra money, but this day I needed it. Barry was coming home and I needed to really get things in order, or so I thought. I went to pick the boys up and the preschool director happened to be there. I walk in the door and she literally turns to me and ask, "You want to work here don't you?" I looked at her and smiled and was like huh? She went on to tell me that they needed an assistant and she thought I'd be good for it. I still was like huh? She also told me that I could work for one day a week and the boys would get free schooling or that I could work for at least 2 days and then do mini-munchers and I would get free preschool tuition and get paid!! I stared at her like a deer in head lights. God was at it again!!!! Right there, just dropping tuition was going to bring in an extra $180 per month!!!! And then if I worked two days or more I'd get paid too!!!! How could I say no!!! I told her I'd talk to Barry and pray about it and that I'd let her know on Thursday morning. I knew my answer already, but wanted to make sure Barry was okay with it. I mean seriously how could I not accept that wide open door. I called him immediately as soon as I got in the car. We went to see the van and it was everything we had asked God to provide and more. We then made our offer on Thursday morning ($8500) and they accepted!!! Even better my wonderful grandparents loaned us the money and God was still all over it then. We originally told the owners that as soon as we got the money we would pay. But until then we would give them a couple hundred to show we meant business. We just knew it would take a few days to get the money and then a few days for it to clear. Well God knew what He was doing there too. We were able to get the money that day directly into our bank and then get them a cashier check!!! A normal process like this normally takes 48 hours....NOT when you've got God on your side!!! It took 4 hours!!! Yes 4 hours!!!! We had OUR new GOD van in our possession by 5:30 p.m. on Thursday!!!! And I tell everyone that it is our GOD van!!! I still look back and am amazed at how God worked/s!!!!

So....here.....it......is........

OUR GOD VAN!!!!!

With all that. Long I know, but you have learned about our God van and that well I now have a job. And I LOVE IT!!!!

Peace Out,

Nikki

Momma Did You Know....

2011-03-09T14:52:00.002-05:00

Isaac is all the time tell me things that I might not know. Like a few weeks back they learned at school the importance of water and how we get it to our sinks and so on. And he asked me while we were on our way home from school that day if I knew what water was and why we need it and how it got into our house. I never really give answers when he does this, because, well for one he normally doesn't wait for my answer, and two I LOVE hearing him tell me. So the other day while we were at school (on a side note, I now work at the boys preschool. I will share about that whole coming about later.) And I had noticed that there was a tractor or digging thing digging up a graveside in the graveyard behind the school. Well we leave school and as we're leaving the digger thing is pulling out.

Isaac: Oh yeah, momma you see that equipment

Me: I nod my head.

Isaac: You know what it does? Do you momma and Eli?

Me: It digs holes for things I suppose.

Isaac: Nope you're wrong. It digs holes for dead people to go in.

Me: Dying of laughter inside and no pun intended. Really Bubba?

Isaac: Yep that is why it was back there. Eli did you know that? (of course Eli is just saying uh-huh the whole time. He has no idea what it is or how to say it for that matter.)

Me: Oh so its back there to dig holes for dead people. Who told you that?

Isaac: Yep it is. Dead people live back there, under the ground. That is what Ms. Paige says.

Me: Okay well then....grinning and cracking up to pieces inside.

And we went on to talking about their day. I am still laughing every time I retell it too!!!

An ITCHY Situation

2011-03-09T13:43:00.004-05:00

So back in December, actually Christmas day, I started having a very itchy issue (try to say that three times, LOL). We had traveled to FL for the holiday and while we were driving down I noticed my ears were itching. I first thought is was the earring I was wearing because I've always been really sensitive to "fake" jewelry (nickel). Anyways so I took them out. Well that didn't seem to help. So my next instinct was to figure out what I had changed. Well I had gotten my hair done and had started wearing it straight again so I went and bought some TRESemme' Waterless Foaming Shampoo. I had used it a couple times and thought that was the culprit. And well my ears stopped itching and swelling so I thought I had solved the problem. Well a few days past and it happened again! My ears were an itching and swollen mess. I had not been wearing earrings or using the waterless shampoo. What the heck could it be?! Well it eventually cleared up and I thought whatever the heck it was had past. So a week went by and I seemed to have no problems. SC had their little snow storm that kept us in for 4 days straight!!! And that in itself is a whole other story. Anyways well about two weeks into January I went with Barry on the youth ski trip to Gatlinburg, TN. We got there on Friday and I was fine. We skied Friday night and of course it was a blast. Saturday came and I was fine. Other than I had a spot above my left eye that was sore. I honestly thought I had a pimple coming. We spent the day at the cabin and then in downtown Gatlinburg where I bought a super cute snow hat. And I immediately put it on. We went home and chilled. Well on Sunday morning I woke up with swollen left eye lid. I was like what the heck? It itched super bad too. I was for sure it was something in the hat I had bought. And at the point I also noticed I had red welts on me. Strange! I went to the Wal-mart and bought benadryl and hoped it would go away. It did, sort of. Well I woke up Monday morning and we were heading home. I woke up with a FAT bottom lip!!! And I was itching ALL OVER!!!! I had decided it must have been the soap from the cabin or the detergent they washed the bedding in. By Tuesday I had hives on my arms and the back of my neck and head. I had an already scheduled dermatology appointment and so I decided to tell her about it. She put me on some anti-histamines and sent me on my way. I started taking the Zyrtec, but she had also prescribed Allegra, but it a week for my insurance to approve it. Everything seemed to have cleared up. I finally got the Allegra filled and started taking it. Well my skin went hive crazy!!! I my chin, forehead, legs, and arms had hives ALL over them. I called decided maybe I should go see my regular family doctor to see if they had anymore answers. Well they didn't!!! They told me to start taking Tagement (an anti-acid, also a H2 anti-histamine) so I did. I also called my derm and they changed it from Allegra to Claritin, which did NOTHING!! I was on four medicines a day (I know you only see I listed three, but I take another one that I've been on for 2 years). Both docs told me to continue use for 8 weeks. I did as I was told and the hives kept getting worse, and I mean worse. Finally I got tired of being tired and still itching and stopped. I really don't want to be on all that medicine if it isn't working. It sounded right to me, but by me doing that I sent my body into a severe itchy hive mess!!! I broke out every where and it literally felt and looked like my skin had ants underneath it moving stuff to their houses. I finally broke down and called an allergist. This is after waking up with my bottom lip swollen and looking like an Angelina Jolie wanna be. And my left eye swelling shut. The allergist saw me and changed some meds around and then had me go have an allergy blood test done. They tried to do a skin test, but I immediately started breaking out in hives so they stopped. She said my skin was too "over-reactive", uh no duh!!!! I immediately started her medicine regimen and went and got a TON of blood drawn, and by ton I mean 19 tubes!!!!! So after all this the medicine she put me on seems to be working. I'm super-duper tired all the time for the anti-histamines, but I have no severe hives. I have an occasional break thru of some, but nothing unbearable. I went in for my follow-up appointment to see the results of the allergy test. And a verdict was reached...I'm allergic to milk! It all makes sense now. For the past year or longer I have sworn up and down that I was lactose intolerant. I would eat ice cream, alfredo, cheese cake, drink milk, etc. and get a severe upset stomach. Not to gross you out, but if I hadn't gone to the "bathroom" in a good way I would eat something like that to upset my stomach, like clean me out I guess. Well I now know that that is a number one sign of an allergy that is "possibly" forming. After you experience that so long your body goes crazy with histamines trying to attach whatever is causing the histamine's to come out. And so now I'm on a strict no milk diet for 4 weeks and then she said we would gradually bring in small amounts of milk to my diet to see what happens. She said sometimes you can be allergic in a type 1 way which means you can have some on occasion, but an overload will set off the hive thing. So we will see. I'm content now. I'm just happy to know what it was and to not be wanting to dig my skin off with a fork. I might post pictures later so you can see the hives, they are pretty interesting. LOL

Peace Out,

Nikki

Rango the Movie

2011-03-07T15:37:00.003-05:00

Okay so like I said in a few post back Isaac and I went on a date this past Saturday see the movie Rango. Isaac was super excited to see it. Any ways I honestly went in thinking that the movie was rated G, but once the movie was playing I caught on real fast that it had to be at least PG.

And now what I'm going to say is.... well..... I'll just say it!!! Why the heck do they have to add cuss words to a kids movie?!! Seriously?!!!! I'm not kidding either. The movie Rango probably says H*ll at least 5 times and then it even had the audacity to use G0* Da*n it!!!!! Can you believe it?!!! I was pretty shocked but didn't make a huge deal about it with Isaac because I didn't want him catching on to them. Anyways, I just don't get it? I'm sure its to make it better for the adults, but come on, really?

Other than that it was good, cute, and several funny parts. You can decide yourself if you want to go see it. I'd probably buy the DVD, well maybe..... Isaac is getting older and so maybe I will have to re-watch it to really see where they were going with it.

Repeat After Me....

2011-03-07T15:07:00.004-05:00

Okay so most of you know that our little Eli has always been a boy of few words, and I mean literally. Unlike Isaac who was repeating us when he was like 10 months old, Eli has just started to repeat us, well really well since Christmas and he is almost 3!!!! Originally last May (2010) when I took him to his two year well visit the doctor and I talked about my concern of his "not so large" vocabulary skills. She had all along said that that was common for second children and that it would come, but she also suggested I get him into preschool and that that should help with his talking. So I did just that. He started preschool in the fall and LOVES it. And yes his vocab has started growing, or well he has started repeating. Well last week his preschool teachers and the preschool director talked to me about getting him into speech therapy. I listened and TOTALLY agreed with them. They then told me about a program that he can get into for free, but he has to be under three. So that is just what we are getting ready to do!! We will hopefully have it all set in stone in the next few weeks. I really don't want his speech to be a problem when he gets into school. I know that is awhile away, but I figure if we nip it in the bud now then it could save him some self esteem issue in the future. We will see!!!!

Date Night

2011-03-07T14:54:00.003-05:00

Last Monday, well actually in January sometime, Isaac saw the preview for that new movie "Rango", staring Johnny Depp. As soon as he saw the preview 6 weeks ago he wanted to go see that movie. Literally every time, EVERY TIME FOLKS, he asked to go see it. So last Monday he saw the preview again and yelled out, "Momma that Rango movie is here, we have to see it!" I informed again for the umpteenth time that it wasn't out yet, but this time I got to tell him that it would be out for him to see this Friday (which was actually last Friday now, Mar. 4). He was ecstatic!!!! So on Tuesday morning while we were getting ready for school he came in to see if today was Friday. I told him no that he had 3 WHOLE days. He then, as precious as can be, turned to me and grabbed my hand and said, "momma can me and you go to see Rango? Like just me and you, no booboo (aka Eli), no daddy. You know like a date." With those beaming blue eyes he has and sweet smile how could I say no. Man what do I have to look forward if he's already playing the blue eye, smile game with me. Girls will be all over him when he can date. Which by the way, won't be until he's 20!!!!!! Any ways, so I agreed and we arranged it for Saturday afternoon while Booboo napped. I wanted to help Barry out a little you know *wink, wink*. We totally made it a date too. We went before hand to the Dollar Tree to get the box of candy they sell at the theater for 3 bucks for $1 folks!!! Then when we got to the theater we bought popcorn. Isaac insisted on it, that he NEEDED it. I agreed, because it was "OUR" date. So not only did he end up with a large box of Nerds and a medium popcorn with extra butter, he also got a cherry coke that I could share with him if I needed to he said. And in we went to the enjoy the movie. It was really cute. I'll post later about my real thoughts on it. Peace-Out!!!

Nikki

Let's Try This Again

2011-03-07T14:27:00.002-05:00

Long time no see! I know, I know. But its a new year and I'm going to try and start off good in the blog world. Well, not to good since it's already March 7th and I'm JUST NOW blogging for 2011. But heck like I said in the title, "Let's try this again". This time I'm NOT apologizing for why I haven't been blogging, I'm just flat out saying I'm a slacker!!!! A busy slacker at that!!! I'm also not going to try and catch you all up at one time or even at all actually. I'm just going to start from here. I might mention a few things that happened in the past or tell as past story that didn't get posted, but overall I'm NOT going backwards!!!!! So here it goes folks!!!! Check it out!!!!

Nikki

Change, Change, Change

2010-10-03T21:06:00.006-04:00

That is my middle name these days. Since I last updated you all, which has been like...FOREVER, there has been major changes take place in our lives. We got a daughter!!!! Well sort of. Our senior Pastor Kevin and his wife moved to California for a new job and they

left us their 17 year old daughter!!! I love it!!! I think she loves it, I'm pretty sure Barry loves it, and I KNOW the boys love it!! We for sure miss her parents, since they were like our parents

here in SC, but we're sure they are in God's will and He is going to use them where they are now. And we are thankful for the season they were in our lives.

Welcome to the family Kate!!! We love you!!

I'm all Out

2010-07-06T19:18:00.002-04:00

We woke up this morning and my nephew Parker was going today for a procedure so as me and both boys lay in bed I said that we needed to pray for him. I turned to Isaac and asked him to do it. He turned and looked at me, laying on his side he patted my shoulder and said, "Mom I'm all out of prayers today, you'll have to do it." Then he shut his eyes and said, "pray already." I died laughing inside, told him you can't run out of prayers, and closed my eyes to pray for Parker.

We are really trying to instill in our boys the value and strength of prayer. When we need something we tell Isaac to pray for it, if someone is hurt or sick we tell him we need to pray. And of course at every meal we ask him to pray and thank God for providing food for us. Anyways did you pray today and thank God for just another breath to breathe? Maybe you should now.

Dear Naptime,

2010-07-04T09:25:00.004-04:00

I just wanted to let you know that I LOVE YOU and without you in my life is miserable. I don't think I can live without you. I need what you bring me on a daily a basis. Please don't leave me, our love affair can't be over quite yet. I hope you feel about me the same way I do about you. See you tomorrow at the same time.

Love,

I'm SOLD, is that bad?

2010-07-04T09:22:00.002-04:00

In the spring we started checking out newer vehicles that we might want to purchase one day. Well I feel in LOVE with the Toyota Sienna. We even test drove one, but what I didn't fall in love with was a car payment again. Anyways after seeing this commercial I'm almost sold on a car payment. Is that bad? And don't you think I could totally rock it? (be sure and scroll down and pause the music playing so you can hear the awesome jam)

I think I can, I think I can

2010-06-29T16:09:00.001-04:00

Do any of you out there reading this ever remember you parents saying that to you when you were scared to do something? I do and I now say it to my boys today. Any ways that is what is going thru my head as I decided to update my totally outdated blog.

I've had tons of you email me or talk to me and ask, "when are you going to blog again? I miss your silly stories. And I want to see pictures of those growing boys!" So first off again I want to apologize for the time span of posting. And I promise I'm going to try and get better, or at least like I used to.

Okay so this is how its going to go to update y'all. Since my last post was in February I'm going to just go month to month with an overall update for each month.

Are you ready? Okay, get set......GO!!!!!!

"I think I can, I think I can, I think I can......"

March 2010

2010-06-29T16:08:00.000-04:00

Laptop- I finally got my own laptop again!!! We were able to save up and then use some tax money to purchase the Macbook I wanted and pay straight up front for it!!! I'm super-duper excited!!! You would think I'd be on the computer ALL day long since I love it, but I haven't been. Life is so crazy with two boys in my house. Well actually I've got three if you count Barry and seeing as how he is as wild if not more than the Isaac and Eli, I will count him.

Isaac Story- You are going to love this folks!! As most of you know and some of you think its horrible, but whatever, Isaac sleeps with us a lot, like almost every night, no its every night. He has since he was a baby. He used to sleep in our bed, but now I make him a pallet on the floor and he comes down in the middle of the night and crashes there. I figure he will grow out of it one day and I need to enjoy the fact that he likes us so much now because one day he won't. Anyways, every morning he wakes up to go potty at like 6:30 in the morning. After the bathroom stop he heads to the fridge where I've already prepared a cup of chocolate milk for him. He then grabs it and climbs in bed with us and falls right back to sleep. Well this one morning he was snoozing away right up in my face. Like we were face to face sleeping and for some reason he thinks he has to be touching me to sleep so we were, and like I said it was face to face. Well all of a sudden I makes this noise and jumps up and runs to the bathroom and throws up. I jump up and run in there thinking, "great we've got the stomach bug." I get in there to check on him and make sure he's okay. He is over the toilet doing his thing. I then ask him if he is okay. He stood there a minute and took the washcloth I had wet to hand to him to wipe off his face. He starts wiping and he says, "I just frewed-up (threw-up) because your breaf (breath) smells bad momma. You breved (breathed) and I got sick." I busted out laughing and he proceed to tell me to brush my teeth. I guess I was sleeping with my mouth open and since he thinks he has to be on top of me to sleep he got whiff of my not so fresh breath.

April 2010

2010-06-29T16:04:00.001-04:00

Well the end of March through the beginning of April we headed to good ole' Titusville for a couple of weeks. Barry was asked by his brothers church to come speak at a spring break mission project they were having. So we used this time as a family vacation. We did a ton of cool stuff. We took the boys to the Jungle Adventures one day, where you get to feed alligators and go on a boat ride through the swamp filled with gators. They got to hold or at least pet one. It was really cool. Eli was terrified and Isaac was ready to jump in and be the next Alligator Hunter. We went to the beach and just some good ole family time. After Barry finished speaking he got on a plane and headed back home to the SC to pack and get ready for a mission trip to Belize with our students on their spring break. The boys and I stayed in FL for another week, looking back I should have gone home. I learned that week that going out of town for more than 8 days is to stressful. I thought it would be easier being there with family, but it came down to routine and there's not much to do in FL for free. In SC I've got the gym (2 hrs a day of FREE childcare), zoo pass, splash park, and our friends. All of which is FREE. Plus the kids stay on their normal schedule and don't get so whacked out. Anyways, lesson learned. It was fun other than that though.

We also got, finally, a patio off the back of our house. When we moved in 5 years ago today actually, there was a tri-level deck. We liked it but the wood was old and we knew one day we'd have to tear it down. Well two years ago, before Eli was born, Barry decided to tear it down. Yes you read it right, TWO YEARS AGO. He planned to pour the patio but then we decided to build a HUGE screened in deck. So last year we were going to do the patio, but we paid off my car instead. So FINALLY we got it!!! It was a long process, but fun to do. And the day the cement truck came to pour the cement the boys were in heaven. They would stand on the front porch and watch them dump it into the little motorized cart and then they would run through the house to the back deck to watch them pour it. I even let them put on there rain boots so they could walk through the cement like the workers. One day once it cools off we will have a party to show it off.

Oh yeah and I found out at the end of March that my Nikon D50 camera had its last day and was gone forever. Super bummed. I will again begin saving for another SLR camera. Bummer...

May 2010

2010-06-29T16:03:00.000-04:00

May was fun for us. Eli turned 2!!!! My parents and sister came up for his party and it was a blast. And my Aunt Missy and Uncle Wes showed up for the party. A complete surprise and probably Eli's best present ever. We had a few friends and there families come over to play outside and play on the slip-n-slide. Eli got TONS of toys, but his favorite was the Fisher-Price guitar we got him. The child LOVES music and instruments. He has jammed out on that thing ever since. He is really growing up these days though. Our next goal is potty training, just hoping its as easy with him as it was with Isaac.

Isaac finished is first year of pre-school in May. He did great this year and learned a whole bunch. He can't wait to go back in the fall. His teacher Ms. Kelley was awesome and we are bummed he won't have her next year. He thinks he is, but he won't.

The middle of May I got to go on a getaway ALL BY MYSELF!!! I was super excited!! I went to Morehead City, NC to visit my best friend Jennifer. She totally pampered me and treated me like a queen, she always does when she's around. I got there Friday afternoon and my "NO PLANS" weekend began. She made an awesome dinner and we watched a movie and went to bed. On Saturday I slept in, well sort of. I remember when sleeping in meant sleeping until 11 am, now it means 8:30. Anyways I got up and we headed into Beaufort, NC to see the wild horses that run free on the island. And we saw them!!! Tons of them!! We then rented an ocean kayak and kayaked to the island to see them up close. It was AMAZING!!! A bit stinky but AMAZING. After that excursion we headed to her house to shower and go shopping. We then went and got a pizza and headed home to watch another movie. Went to bed early that night and then on Sunday we got up and headed to the beach for the morning. Then, as they say, all good things must come to an end, I had to head back to SC. I can't wait to do it again!!!

June 2010

2010-06-29T16:02:00.002-04:00

This month started out crazy. We had our largest senior class of students from church graduate out. Bittersweet if I say so myself, but excited to see where they go and how they turn out. Barry left the end of May to go backpacking for a few days. He got back and went straight into graduation parties and ceremonies. We finished those and left for Harlan, KY. Barry was asked to speak at a church from TN's mission camp that was help up at a boyscout camp in the mountains. Barry asked me to join him and without doing research I agreed not knowing that the place we were heading to for one week in a hotel room was one of the poorest cities in the USA. That was probably the longest, most stressful week of my life. I swear that hotel room got smaller by the minutes. And I'm pretty sure the people staying below us hated hearing the pitter-patter of feet all day and night. Our senior pastor, Kevin Pike, told Barry that he owed me a week at a spa for taking on that challenge....I agree LOL. After that we got home and then Barry left for youth camp with our students two days later. Crazy? Yes!!! I had planned to go visit my best friend again, but that all changed after our crazy week in KY. All I wanted to do was stay at home!!!! On a schedule that included nap time!!! I think the boys wanted that too. Barry then got home and was home all last week and then left yesterday for 19 days!! He is in Belize for 2 weeks and then goes straight to a Jr. High Mission Camp. We will reunite in FL for our 10 year high school reunion!!!

Anyways that is how June is going thus far. I've got LOTS of pictures to put on here and am hoping to do it in a day or so. Keep checking back!!!

So You Think You Can Dance

2010-02-20T21:23:00.004-05:00

For as long as I can remember I have LOVED to dance. My parents actually have a home video of me at 6 years old dancing in front of the video camera for like a solid 2 hours or more while they put up our Christmas tree that year. And growing up I would honestly spend hours on end dancing or wanting to entertain people. Luckily I dated, and eventually married, a guy who loved to dance just as much as I did and maybe more. Any ways, long story short, I'm so excited to say that both of my children LOVE to dance just as much as I used to.

So here is a video that I got of my boys a couple Sundays back getting their groove on. We all love to snuggle in the mornings and this particular morning they figured out that my T.V. has a radio on it and tada they had music to dance to. And so they took advantage of it. Please watch and enjoy. Also watch Eli as he pulls some good ole' classic dance moves...LOL. Enjoy!!!! (Be sure and pause my music playing on the blog before you play the video. It is located on the right hand side of the page towards the bottom.)

Whatca' Think?

2010-02-16T16:51:00.007-05:00

My youngest child has two things that MUST be on

him at all times

His crocs, and yes even in the bathtub.

And his hat. "Ma hat!" And he even wears it to bed.

But I guess when you're this cute, you can do what ever the heck you want.

You can even wear nothing at all!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

2010-02-16T15:36:00.004-05:00

That was the chorus I was singing on Friday afternoon!!!

They had been saying all week that we would be getting snow on Friday, but I being the glass is half empty kind of girl, didn't believe them. Well I was wrong!!!! And I must say I'm glad to be wrong in this area. We got snow alright!! We got 8.6 inches worth!!!! Yahoo!!!!!!!!!! We had a blast playing in it from the beginning until it began melting away the next afternoon.

Say Awwwwww

2010-02-09T21:58:00.002-05:00

Those are the words I've heard from the doctor for the since September. Words that are very annoying and words that means I probably have strep throat again. And those are the words that I heard last week a-g-a-i-n. I had just finished an antibiotic five days earlier and so when I woke up on Sunday with a sore throat I was a bit shocked. My honest thought was, "seriously, this can't be strep throat again." Monday came and it only was getting worse. And by Tuesday morning, well lets just say I woke up with my neck SO swollen that I couldn't even move it. I called the doctor and got an appointment 30 minutes later. And of course....diagnoses was... strep throat. I was a bit bummed seeing as how each bount of this junk has gotten a bit worse each time. I was even more bummed when the doctor said she was referring me to an ear, nose and throat doctor to get my tonsils out. At first the thought sounded good. Get these nasty infected things out and I'll be all better. Well it's not that easy folks. I guess getting your tonsils out at my age is rough. Rough like having a baby rough. And for any of you that care to know, I don't really like having babies naturally. So the thought of that is pretty sucky, but then again I honestly think that if it will stop these terrible sore throats I've been then its worth it. And this again is like giving birth. It hurts like the dickens, but in the end you end up with something wonderful. So with all that said I'm getting my tonsils out somewhere around March 5th. I'll be laid up for about 8 days so we are having to work out childcare details, but that will fall into place. I'll keep you guys updated and be praying for a quick, not to painful recovery.

Skin Cancer Update

2010-02-03T16:45:00.008-05:00

For details of how this came about check my post Holy Moly Roly Poly.

Okay so I actually had my surgery a week earlier than I had posted. They had overbooked my surgery day and then they had a cancellation and since the doctor didn't want me going four more weeks out they moved into the cancellation appointment, which was January 20th. Anyways I went into surgery very worried. I'll be honest I've learned that I'm a very vein person and so of course that was my biggest worry, what I would end up looking like. Well the dermatologist did an AMAZING job. And best of all they got it all!!! So until further notice I am skin cancer free!!!!!!

Also, and not to be getting on a soap box, but please remember to wear sunscreen at least a 15 SPF (applied every hour). And wearing sunglasses and hat helps prevent Basal Cell Carcinoma on your face. As for tanning beds...DO NOT USE THEM. They increase your chance of skin cancer by 75% if you start tanning before the age of 18. I know its nice to have color in the winter, but is it really worth your life? I used to say I didn't care as long as I was tan doing it, well now, after going thru this and now having two children to worry about I regret 100% of ever stepping into a tanning. I am not saying stop getting a suntan, I'm saying get it from the natural sun and with the use of a sunscreen.

Immediately after.

Three days after.

Stitches out and better daily.

I've Done the Math

2010-02-03T15:52:00.005-05:00

Okay so I sat down the other day and decided to see how many times Eli has had a massive blow-out poop while traveling. I mean come on he HATES traveling so why not make it even worse by crapping all over yourself and everything or everyone around you. Here we go:

birth-3 months: he did fine...great traveler

3-6months: still good; but getting antsy in car seat

6-9 months: cries every time he gets put in car seat; massive poop experience

9-12 months: majorly pitches a fit when in the car; sounds like a pterodactyl; massive poop experience 2

12-15 months: absolutely hates traveling; screams or fights the whole time and makes everyone around or with him miserable; massive poop experience 3,4,5, and 6 (had to actually stop and get hotel room for this one, and I'm not joking)

15-18 months: the honest thought of traveling with this child is dreadful; 5 hours on a plane with him screaming (no joke); massive poop experience 7 and 8; and first puke experience in the car while traveling to Yosemite National Forest.

18-21 months: canceled a trip to Ohio so we didn't have to be in a car with him; hates, hates, did I say he hated to ride in his car seat; massive poop experience 9,10,11, and 12

21-24 months: just beginning this one......

So after further review and my calculation, that of which YOU do not have the right to correct or disagree with me, is....drum roll please.......

approximately

95.345%

of the time Eli poops, screams or pukes

in my car hence the reason for my keeping a beach towel in my car that I talked about in my last post.(Better Late than Never post)

Better Late than Never

2010-02-03T14:19:00.005-05:00

Christmas 2009
This year was cool because we got to leave for Titusville on the 23rd of December instead of our usual middle of the night trips Christmas Eve into Christmas morning or leaving WAY before the butt crack of dawn. East Lake normally has an AMAZING Christmas Eve service, but this year they decided to do the services the weekend before Christmas Eve and Christmas. It was nice for us, but I must say that I really missed our quick, traffic free, quiet traveling that we are used to.

Anyways so we left on Wednesday morning and headed to family. We had prayed that it be a quick, uneventful trip, but for any of you that know Eli you know that could never happen. You see if Eli has to travel ANYWHERE he has to make it eventful (read Oh Where is My Hairbrush to better understand Eli's traveling skills). I tried to plan that we would stop at Chick-fil-a to get breakfast and then hit the highway. My thought was that the boys would eat breakfast be comfy and then snooze for a bit. Well...I thought wrong!!!! Isaac, the worlds greatest traveler, did fantastic!! He always has, should I expect anything different. And why on earth would I think Eli would be any different either? Just a bit of hope I suppose. So we get on the road and start cruising. Interstate 26 was flowing wonderfully. I turned to Barry and then the boys and at that moment, 30 minutes into the trip, I say, "man this is going so great babe. The traffic is moving, Isaac is watching a movie, and Eli is sleeping!" Barry is quick to informs me that I just cursed us. And sure enough he was right!!! We exit onto interstate 95 and BAM we hit traffic, I swear I-95 is the WORST road to travel, and Eli wakes up. Seriously!!! And when Eli awakes he has to make sure everyone, even the travelers in the vehicles next to us hear him. He starts squawking, as I call it, and he doesn't stop. And then, as if we didn't have enough chaos going on, Isaac screams "gross!!!! Eli pooped everywhere!!! Its on his hands!!" I immediately panic. I know a huge surprise for a germaphob to freak over poop on hands right? Well I did. And what could make it worse...we were stuck in dead stopped traffic, not moving people!! I grabbed the baby wipes and turned around to try to start cleaning it up, and there just was no way of cleaning it. It was EVERYWHERE!!! So Barry, the wonderful hubby he is, pulls on to the side of the road and drives there to the next exit. We pull off and straight into the parking lot of a gas station. I grab the diaper, wipes and clean clothes while Barry took to getting the poop monster out, and that itself is the worst chore ever. We get him out and carry him inside (that is if carrying him straight out in front of me counts as carrying) just see a line for the one-stall restroom to the door. Okay, well I thought. I turned around an walked straight back to the car. We had our wonderful hitch attachment with a locked box on it, and I thought that would be a great changing station. And so I begin the process....arggggg. We eventually get him cleaned up and his seat wiped down and covered with a beach towel I keep in my car for things like this (another post to follow that will explain). We get back on the road, or should I say into traffic and well one more massive poop and 8 hours (normally 6 hours) later we arrived in Titusville for our Christmas vacation and already dreading the trip back home to South Carolina. Check out the pictures in the Christmas 2009 folder on the right side of the screen to see what all we did. ENJOY!!

Gotta Love the Bathroom

2010-01-30T17:37:00.004-05:00

Okay I haven't done this in awhile (posted random information that I've come across), but last night I was at our local high school (Irmo HS) watching a few of our students in a play. As always I had to go to the bathroom and well while I was doing my business I noticed that the lock on the bathroom stall had a name or company name on it. I began to look harder to see if I could see exactly what it read, and NO JOKE it said "Hiny Hiders"!!! Bahahahahah!!!! I died laughing right there in the stall and I'm pretty sure the other lady next to me thought I had lost my mind. Well since our world is so technologically savvy I pulled out my phone and got a picture for you just in case you didn't believe me.

Holy Moly Roly Poly

2009-12-18T21:31:00.004-05:00

About a year or so ago I found a new mole on my face. I figured it was nothing and put it off. It was small so I didn't see it as something to worry with. Well back in August I noticed it was a bit bigger and then by October it was much bigger. I showed it to Barry, who normally calls me a hypochondriac, and to my shock he informed me that he thought I should get it checked. It just so happened that was going in for my "wonderful" yearly and decided I would show it to my doctor and see what he thought. The doctor informed that I should go to a dermatologist and get it checked out.

Well I put it off for a few weeks because I was a bit worried about what the dermatologist would say. Then the spot started doing some funny things and so I decided to call the doctor sooner rather than later. I honestly thought I wouldn't be able to get in until after Christmas. Well to my surprise, and after I told them about my concerns, I got an appointment the very next Monday. I went in and I was pretty sure they would take a bit of it off to send off to see. And they did just that. The doctor was very adamant that she very rarely saw skin cancer moles there and that after looking at it she didn't think I needed to worry. Actually her very words were, "I'm going to send it off to be biopsied, but Ms. Russell I'm almost for sure it is nothing." I being a good patient trusted her thoughts and went on about my business. And I followed all the rules with the "lovely" patch they left on my face to prevent any scaring. I then waited for the phone call to let me know what it was, if anything. I assumed that I'd hear something by Monday because they said they would call me back in the next week. Well Monday came and went and I didn't hear anything, so I believe that no news is good news. Then on Wednesday I turned my phone on and saw that I had three voice mails. I checked all my missed calls and knew all the numbers. I then check my voicemail and there was a message from the dermatologist office asking me to call them back as soon as I could. Immediately a pit fell in my stomach. I didn't want to worry, but I knew if it was good news then they would most likely share it over the phone. Barry happened to be there and convinced me that it was fine and that they just like to call and speak to you directly. He left and I called them back. And wouldn't you know they informed me that the mole they removed came back as skin cancer- a Basel cell carcinoma to be exact. I immediately swallowed and then the nice nurse went on to explain that this is the most common skin cancer and is the easiest to cure or get rid of. I honestly was still stuck on the word skin cancer to really hear anything else. She then told me that they needed me to come back in so they could remove all the tissue in the area and around it to make sure it was gone. So we scheduled the appointment, and it will be removed January the 26th.

In the meantime I decided to get on the wonderful computer and Internet and see what it had to say about Basel Cell Carcinoma's. I honestly had never done it before because you always, I mean always, get the worst news or descriptions off there. But after looking at it tonight, I decided I wished I would've checked it out sooner. The pictures they showed were the very thing that was on my face!!! And perhaps if I would've seen it a year or so ago I would've gone sooner before it got a bit larger and started scabbing and bleeding and stuff. Oh well can't redo it now. But what I can do is convince all of you and my own kids to stay out of the sun or at least use sunscreen!! I grew up on the beach and I'm honestly not surprised about the spot, but I wish I would not have worshipped the sun, or better yet the "tan" body as much as I did and still do. I will for sure be wearing protection and putting it on my kids from here on out. As a matter of fact I think I will be wearing it everyday even if I'm not on the beach or at the pool. I will also try to convince all the teenage girls I know to not go to the tanning bed. Statics now show that if you start using a tanning bed before the age of 18 (actually between 15-30 years of age) you increase your chance of any form of skin cancer by 50%. Yes you read that right, 50%. It increases it so much that some states are passing laws that ban individuals under the age of 18 from using tanning beds. And I must say that I wish now that I would've have known that when I started tanning at 16 years old, perhaps I wouldn't be having a skin cancer spot removed now. So with all this and after doing the research I'm a bit worried about the other "questionable spots" I've got. But I know that it is all going to be okay.

Matthew 6:25-34-
25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[b]?
28"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. 29Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. 30If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you, O you of little faith? 31So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.

Just Seeing

2009-12-08T21:57:00.002-05:00

A conversation between me and Isaac......

Me-Isaac, I'm going to count to 5. And if you don't go to time-out you are getting a spanking and time-out.
Isaac- Mommmmmmy
Me-1, 2, 3, 4...
Isaac- Stop mommy!! Okay I will say sorry now.
Me- That wasn't your option Isaac. I said you had to go to time-out and if you weren't there by the time I got to 5 then you were getting a spanking and time-out.
Isaac- Okay well I'm saying sorry so I don't have to do time-out.
Me- Time-out is your choice, not sorry. Go now! 4, 4 1/2....
Isaac- Mommy!!!!
Me- Isaac you are not getting a spanking! Bend over.
Isaac- I said sorry!
Me- That is nice, but because you kept testing me and pushing the button and almost getting to 5 you are getting a spanking. And for you to know you should have apologized tells me that you knew what you were doing by testing. Why did you do let mommy get to 4?
Isaac- Mommy....I was just seeing if you could count to 5 like me.
Me- Isaac!!! Don't push me now!!! I can count to 5, 500, and 5,000 and don't make me show you! Now bend over buster!!!

Can you believe this?! My child is trying to outsmart me.

In The Beginning....

2009-12-04T22:15:00.001-05:00

...I used to blog ALL the time. It was fun, and honestly I imagine it still is, or it would be if I had a computer to use during the day. You see, my dilemma is, as you know from my previous post, that my wonderful children pulled my laptop off my desk and it fell to its death, hence leaving me to use Barry's work computer when he isn't. Now the only thing with this is that I "used" to do all my blogging during nap time. Actually that is when I did everything with my computer, like pay bills, check email, facebook, and blog. It honestly is the only time of the day that I'm completely by myself, no kids and no husband to chat with. And so this brings about my drought of blogging. You see, when I finally do have a computer to "play on", I don't want to. Sad, I know. But the last thing I want to do after my kids are in bed at night is get on the computer and think, though this particular week I've missed my blogging. So for those who care, and who haven't given up on me, I'm going to take this time, since Barry is gone and the boys are in bed, to update you all of our happenings, summer to now. Put on your reading glasses, grab a cup of tea, and enter our world again.

October

2009-12-04T21:52:00.004-05:00

In October Isaac turned four. Crazy huh?! I can hardly believe that he is four already. Time sure does fly when you are having fun.... or pulling your hair out. Bummer part of this post is......don't be to shocked....but I accidentally deleted, yes you read it right, I DELETED all the pictures from his party. I am still super mad about it. And I'm not even sure what happened to them, they were seriously there and then gone, just like that. But he did have a blast. We painted pumpkins, which we tried to grow but failed at. And the kiddos played outside. He also got lots of cool gifts that we've been enjoying.

At the end of October, actually Halloween weekend, Barry and I headed to Pigeon Forge, TN for a weekend away with some great high school friends and their wives. We had a blast!!! We even saw not one, not two, but THREE bears!!!! Crazy!!! Who'd a thunk we'd fly across country to Yosemite and think we'd for sure see a bear or two and we didn't. But instead we drove 3 hours and saw 3!!! It was such a sight. We also went into Gatlinburg and went ice skating and site seeing and we stayed up real late playing games. It was a great time. Here are pictures from our fun little getaway.

September

2009-12-04T21:30:00.007-05:00

Isaac Starts School
Here is a few pics of Isaac on his first day of school ever! He loves it by the way. It was so fun this particular day, but sad at the same time. Poor Eli has just now quit crying for 30 minutes solid after Isaac leaves for school. And he finally got past having to have a backpack like his bubby. Its so precious.

California He We Come
At the end of September we hopped on a plane and flew across the country to see Barry's brother Brian and his wife Julie and their kids, Caleb and Caylyn. It was a LONG flight. If you've been following me for awhile, you know Eli hates to travel whether it be in a car, boat, plane or train. He held true to his hatred to travel and even made a few, well several new enemies along the way. No lie, he cried from the time we took off in Charlotte, slept for 30 minutes in the air, and then cried until we were off the plane in Los Angeles. Even worse, we had a horrible lady who stood up and said, "Would you please make him shut-up!". Can you believe that?! I thought Barry was going to jump over the seats and punch her. We had tried everything we knew and the child would just not go to sleep! Needless to say I dreaded the trip home, and he did do a bit better but it was still enough to make me not want to travel anywhere with him until Christmas. Anyways we had a blast there. The kids had fun playing and we had fun seeing family. Even more amazing, they took us to Yosemite National Forest. The place is amazing!!! It is something every person needs to experience at least once, other than I decided you could stay there for 6 months and probably still need more time to see everything. Thanks Brian and Julie for the amazing opportunity!!!! Love you guys!!! Oh and pictures of this trip our in the albums to the side labeled Cali Trip 2009 and Cali Trip Part 2. Check them out some of the sites we saw were amazing.

August

2009-12-04T21:13:00.003-05:00

In August we headed to our favorite beach, Emerald Isle, with my family. It's always a blast.

July- Youth Camp

2009-12-04T20:57:00.007-05:00

At the end of June, actually my last REAL post before the death of the laptop, I had taken the boys to good ole' Titusville so I could attend youth camp with Barry and our students. The youth camp we went to this year, and have gone to the past few years, is Snowbird (http://www.swoutfitters.com/). It is an amazing camp with a wonderful staff that truly invest into teenagers. If you are apart of a youth ministry you should totally check it out. Anyways here are some pictures from our week at camp.

Good News, and Bad News

2009-10-06T22:03:00.002-04:00

Hello blog world!!! For those of you that are worried the Russell family had fallen off the earth, we haven't. We've just been REALLY, REALLY, did I say REALLY busy. But now things are starting to slow down with all the summer youth activities done and our summer vacation finished. So anyways, we have good and bad news. Which would you like first? Okay good, I'll give you the good news first. The good news is I've got alot to tell you about. I'll start soon and when I do I will do a month by month update starting with July. Now onto the bad news. The reason there hasn't been updates for a bit is because we were busy, but also I have to wonderful children who like to get into things together, and well, the oldest tied my laptop cord around his brothers ankle and when the littlest one started to run off the laptop flew off my desk and hit the wood floors. And so the 6 year old laptop bit the dust. A huge bummer to me!!! I did decide last week to pull out our almost 10 year old desktop computer. And all I can say about that is S------L---------O----------W. It is so SLOW that I can't even blog on it. My gracious hubby is letting me us his work laptop when he isn't on it, but that is few and far between. But hopefully he will let me us it long enough to get you all updated. Until then just keep checking back and I will most likely be updating without pictures to begin with and then I will add them to my Picasa account. I've got LOTS!! Okay well I've really missed the blogging world and I hope you all have missed me. Stay tuned!!!!

Oh Where is My Hairbrush

2009-07-19T12:39:00.008-04:00

Okay, all I can say is just get used to it I suppose. There just isn't enough hours, our shall I say energy in a day for me to post. And I'm not apologizing this time like I do every time. All I can is always check back, because the post will come. So for now, just be prepared.

So, what have we been up to? Well since my last post I flew the boys down to Florida to stay with grandparents while I went with Barry and our youth group to summer camp. I'll post about that later. Anyways we flew down on Wednesday, June 24th. It was only a 48 minute flight, but I'm sure it felt like 48 hours to the flight attendant. You see, Eli is probably the WORST traveler EVER. I'm so serious too! He cries the whole time he is in the car if its more than 15-20 minutes. And I don't mean a small cry, I mean a screaming cry. It's terrible!!! So I had the brilliant idea to fly. To me a 48 minute flight of crying is WAY better than 6-7 hours of it. And so to save what little sanity I have left we flew. With this trip I realized that Eli's problem has NOTHING to do with traveling, but ALL to do with being contained or held against his own will. He hates it, I mean absolutely hates it. And well so does everyone that is traveling with him. And then to top it off, why the heck do they board people traveling with children 30-45 minutes before departure?! I came to the conclusion, they obviously DON'T have children.

Okay so anyways the trip was good once we arrived. I was there with the boys until Sunday. My mom had my nephew for the time I was in Florida. And man was that an experience within its self. It was crazy! It was pure chaos, but pure fun too. We chilled, went swimming, took pictures, and went to the beach. I was exhausted at the end of each day, and I'm not sure how my mom held up being her age and all. Love you mom! Any ways here are some photos that I took while I was there. To see more click the photo folder called June 2009 to see more. Enjoy!

Kids Say the Darndest Things!

2009-06-20T13:21:00.002-04:00

Okay did I not tell you earlier in a post that I had A LOT of stories to tell you. Believe me they are still coming too.

Anyway as you read in an earlier post my Mamaw passed away last week. So Barry I drove up to Ohio on Thursday evening. That in its self is a whole other story which I will get to later possibly.

So okay we finally arrived in Ohio at my Nana's house on Friday afternoon. Everyone was rushing around getting ready to go to the calling hours. Isaac was a little confused because no one wanted to play with him and that I was trying to get him to take a nap so we could go to the funeral home. He kept saying that he didn't like funeral homes and he wasn't going. I would jokingly say, "well honey, no one likes funeral homes, but we have to go tell Mamaw bye." He fought the nap and I eventually gave up. I knew once we got in the car he would crash out.

Well as I got myself cleaned up Barry got the boys ready. As Barry was getting Isaac ready he started talking to him about what we were getting ready to do. He told Isaac that a funeral home is a place where we go to tell family and friends good bye and to show their family that we loved the person and them. He also told them that the people were in there and they were like asleep but forever. We get in the car and like I said, Isaac was asleep before we ever got out of my Nana's neighborhood. We decided to take a detour because traffic was ridiculous and I figured Isaac could stand to sleep as long as we could let him. We finally arrive at the funeral home and I get Isaac out of the car. I tell him that we were there, at the funeral home. He seriously set straight up and said, "Yea! I get to see my friends that are sleeping for long time!"
And if that doesn't make you laugh then the next happening will.

We walk into the building and there are people, strangers, every where. My mom met us and Isaac wanted to go with her to find his beach Nana (that is what he calls my Nana). So she took him into the calling room where family and Mamaw were. And as she walked him up to the front he very seriously and worriedly says, "Hey...why her head laying up in that box little Nana?"

Its always nice to get a good laugh in situations like that isn't it?

Oops

2009-06-19T14:53:00.004-04:00

Okay so I was going thru some pictures that I had downloaded awhile back, like February, and found this shot of Eli. He had gotten a hold of one of Isaac's markers and well, you can tell what happened. Just thought it was cute because he is looking at the camera like he is posing for head shot at the police department.

Happy Father's Day

2009-06-19T14:27:00.002-04:00

Just want to wish my dad a Happy Father's Day.

Dad thanks for being such a great example to my boys and Barry. And thanks for loving me for me and always encouraging me to be my own individual. For letting me make mistakes, and then helping me pick up the pieces when I failed. And most of all thanks for showing me how to parent. I love you Daddy!!!

Boy, Oh Boy!

2009-06-19T13:45:00.002-04:00

A few Sundays ago I brought the boys home from church and was fixing them lunch. Isaac had gone into our bathroom to use it and Eli was in his booster seat. All the sudden Isaac yells for me to come in to the bathroom with him.

Momma come here!!!
What Isaac?! I'm fixing lunch.
I need to tell you somefing.
Okay I'm coming buddy.
Hey momma! Guess what?!
What buddy? Hurry Eli is fussing.
My wiener say, (in a funny squeaky voice) "I need to go pee pee butt."
Oh really, your wiener said that bud?
Yeah and then my butt say, (in a deep silly voice) "No wiener you not go pee pee. I go poopy."
Momma did you hear that?

Oh dear me. There is too much testosterone in my house!!!!

A Life Lived

2009-06-18T16:16:00.011-04:00

Once again I apologize for the time span between posts. But believe me a lot has gone on and I've got the stories to prove it. Just hold on and you will see.

June 15, 1918- June 10, 2009

First off I want to take a moment to remember my Mamaw, June Argabright. She passed away last Wednesday, June 10th after living a very LONG blessed life. She would have been 91 years old this past Monday (June 15), but I guess God wanted to celebrate that birthday with her instead of us with her. My Mamaw was an amazing women. Every time I saw her she would have this catching smile on her face.

I'm not sure if it was always there or if I brought that smile to her face, but she always had it when I was around. She was fun and always put it straight to you whether you wanted to hear it or not. She leaves behind her wonderful husband, my Papaw, Ish. She has 4 children, 11 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, and 3 great-great grandchildren (two of those are mine). When Isaac was born we began the 5th generation. How many of you can say that?

Any ways she was a women who never judged, she might tell you what she thought of the decisions you were making, but she never judged you and she always loved you. She was always concerned about her family and wanting to help them out. I love(d) her and will miss her SO much. I just hope that I get the privilege of living that long of a life and blessing my family like she has blessed hers. You will be missed deeply Mamaw, we love you.

Tarzan the Monkey Boy

2009-05-30T12:28:00.004-04:00

Here is how it all started...

I'm outside sitting on my wonderful screened in back porch and I look in thru our glass french doors and see Isaac swinging to and fro, like Tarzan, on my curtains.

"Isaac what do you think you're doing?" I said

"I being a monkey boy, and swinging," he said.

"Well you're not Tarzan the monkey boy so don't swing on my curtains. You're going to pull the rod out of the wall and then I will be very sad and probably cry," I said.

"Stop it mama. You're silly," he said as he gets off the curtains and goes about his business of annoying his little brother.

Here is how it ended...

The next day Barry and I have a Senior Banquet at church for all of our seniors. We got our wonderful sitter Katie to come over. And....

My cell phone vibrates.

"Hello," I answer.

"Nikki its Katie, and well I was changing Eli, getting him ready for bed, and..." she begins.

All sorts of things start racing thru my imaginative mind, like he fell, got sick, so on. So I say very calmly, "Okay."

"Well Isaac was swinging on the curtain at the back doors, and well they fell down....I'm sorry." She said.

I very calmly responded, "Oh my, okay, well sit him in time out and don't worry its no big deal."

She very softly said, "I'm sorry and okay."

And we got off the phone.

Well, we get home and saw the damage, not bad at all actually, and I even like it better with out the curtains. Any ways I asked Katie how everything went other than the curtain mishap and she said fine. She then went on to inform me that as soon as the curtain rod feel, that Isaac grabbed his face (just picture the Home Alone kid here) and said, "Oh NO mommy is going to be very sad and probably cry."

Hey at least he remembers what I had told him the day before. It's just to bad he didn't stay off of them. Oh well, I can't fret the small stuff right.

Here Ye, Here Ye

2009-05-27T23:48:00.002-04:00

I know exactly what you are thinking…"Where have you been all my life?” Well let me tell you where I’ve been lately, and believe you and me it hasn’t been on a vacation. You see I’m a mom of a three year old and a one year old, both of which are VERY active. So that keeps me on my toes. I very rarely have time to go to the bathroom let alone blog these days. Oh and did I mention I’ve got two very active children, one 3 and the other 1? Well if I didn’t then let me say it ONE MORE TIME…I’ve got TWO very ACTIVE, on the MOVE BOYS!!!! So that is where I’ve been lately, trying to keep up with them. And I just am not cutting it these days. You see, I used to use nap time as my blogging time, but now I’ve got TWO very active, on the go children, and so when nap time arrives WE ALL take naps. Or at least I try to sneak one in because I’m so exhausted. And if I’m not napping with my little monkey’s then I’m trying to get my chores done before the boys wake up and off my crazy life goes again. And so now I’m sure you are wondering well why doesn’t she just blog after the boys go to bed at night, well sweetheart, it’s because I’m SO dead tired that I’m counting down the minutes to when my precious little head can land on my comfy pillow and dream about days laying on the beach with no worries in the world. And so faithful followers, I know you’re few and far between, but I am going to try my hardest to get back on my blogging at least once a week. But if time goes by with no post for a month, don’t worry, I’m still kicking it. I might be kicking my feet just to stay above the water, but I’m still kicking it, and just keep checking back because one day there will be another post. And so, there it is, an excuse for my absences (man I feel like I’m back in school again). Oh and be prepared because I’ve got a lot of catch-up postings to do. Here it goes…….

Take a Chill Pill

2009-05-27T23:18:00.006-04:00

Saturday I suckered Wesley into riding with me to go pick up some fresh cut Gerber Daisey's from my bestest Jenn's house, get my car washed, and then sit with the boys in my car while I ran into Kroger to get milk and juice. He agreed. Well Isaac thinks Wesley put the stars in the sky (Daddy hung the moon and Wes put the stars there to enjoy too.) Anyways we got home and I was giving Eli a bath and Isaac had quickly become an annoying shadow to Wesley I'm sure. He was upstairs with Wes and I could hear him running back and forth between his room and Wesley's room. Literally it sounded like a herd of elephants going back and forth, back and forth. Well next thing I know Wesley comes into the bathroom to tell me this...

"Isaac was out of control up there, and I grabbed him to stop him and I asked him why he couldn't just chill for one second. Isaac then very seriously stopped and looked at me and said that he couldn't because Jesus mde him that way."

Oh my child is SO creative with the things he says sometimes. And oh so cute, but such a stinker, all at the same time.

Perfect 10

2009-05-27T22:59:00.004-04:00

Isaac has been in gymnastics for the past two years, and he LOVES it. Well the very same weekend we had Eli's first birthday party Isaac had an award ceremony for his gymnastics class. It was so cute they got to do floor routines, balance beams, bars, and trampoline. Isaac was excited for his Nana, Pawpaw, Nanny, Aunt Jamie, Cousin Parker, and Ms. Pat to get to see him doing his "stuff". He did great and scored a perfect 10!!! He got a medal, trophy, and even a flower to give to me, his mommy. It was all so precious. And man he is getting SO big.

It's a Party and I'll......

2009-05-27T22:34:00.004-04:00

....cry if I want to!! I know you were totally singing that verse right then weren't you? Anyways okay well Mother's Day weekend we celebrated Eli's first birthday. We delayed the celebration a week so all of his grandparents and his Aunt Jamie could be there. We had a blast. And as everyone told me would happen, I pulled the second child syndrome on Eli. You see, with Isaac's first birthday I went all out on invitations, decorations, food, and so on. I honestly started planning his party two months ahead of time. Well poor Eli didn't get that special treatment. I decided with him that I wanted it to be a simple celebration with just family and close friends. I didn't even send out invitations, just a simple text to our closest that we wanted there. Sad I know, but I must say it was SO much more enjoyable. We had it at our favorite park, the Duck Park. It's a place that Isaac and I enjoyed a ton way before Eli was ever thought about, but now Eli has come to LOVE this little park as much as we do. I only did cake and drinks, and well it was a blast. I think all the kids enjoyed it and so did all the adults. Eli had fun making friends and trying to do everything his brother was doing. Everything was precious. It came cake time and I was so excited to see how Eli would react to it. Isaac had a blast with it so I was for sure that Eli would, especially since the child seriously will eat anything as long as it doesn't eat him first. Well boy was I wrong. The poor child didn't want anything to do with his cake. I did get a great shot with some red icing on his face, but that was only after his nanny shoved his hand into the cake and then he started crying and rubbed his left eye. And then that made him even more upset. So with all that said, there was no amazing video of my monkey enjoying his cake. Sorry for those of you that were expecting it. But we had a blast anyways. And thank you to everyone who came and enjoyed the celebration with us, and thank you to all of you who sent gifts and celebrated with us from afar.

Wait a Minute

2009-05-26T22:37:00.002-04:00

You just wait one minute!!!! And if that minute turns into 4 weeks than so be it.

Strawberry Pickin'

2009-05-04T13:30:00.004-04:00

It's that time of year here in good old South Carolina. If you remember we last year before Eli was born and had a blast. So this year as soon as we got the postcard in the mail from the farm telling us it was time to go picking we pulled out our baskets and set the date. We had a blast too!!!! Isaac was into eating them immediately after we picked them this year. Last year he wouldn't eat them at the farm, but had a major grub session once in the car. He also was very adamant about carrying his own basket this year..."I big now momma I can do."

I enjoyed even more this year than last. Probably because I wasn't 9 months pregnant and could actually bend down and pick some. But I did mostly just do my regular picture taking since that is what I LOVE to do, and then of course made the infamous strawberry jam...YUMMY. Eli had fun sitting and watching and well of course eating the strawberries. I swear the child will eat anything that doesn't eat him first or at least try it anyways. Barry once again enjoyed it. I'm pretty sure he enjoys eating them right away rather than picking them.

Here are some pictures and sorry to all of you who won't get to try my wonderful homemade strawberry jam.

Guess Who's One?!

2009-04-30T22:26:00.007-04:00

Saturday Eli turned one. Can you believe it?! I can't. I seriously feel like it was just last month that I was counting down the days until he was born, and now he is one. Any ways, do any of you remember this post, My Little Pirate, that I wrote last year? If you didn't get to read it last year then click the link and read away. And well, honestly, if you don't read it then you will have no idea why I'm about to share what I'm getting ready to share. Does that make any since folks? Okay so here it goes.....

So for all of you that told me that I would love Eli the same, and I must confess that I totally doubted you, and well you were right!!! I was so scared to bring him home and throw Isaac's life out of whack, but let me tell you, Eli is the greatest thing God has done for our family. He has been such an easy, content baby, well that is after we figured out all of his little belly/milk issues.

The day I found out I was having another boy, I laid on the ultrasound table and cried. And then prayed that if God was giving me another boy he had to be my calm in the storm. God heard me that day and gave me just that, He gave me Eli. And the bond that I was SO afraid I wouldn't have with him like I had with Isaac is there, it's different, but it's there. Isaac always loved on me, but he never really liked me to just sit and hold him unless he was sick or something. It always bugged me, but it was never to much of a big deal. Well let me tell you, Eli is my snuggle bug. When he was first born I would put Isaac down for his afternoon nap and seriously just sit and hold Eli up on my chest. And he was SO content laying there. Actually to this day he loves to be held close and snuggled. He is a true blessing and every time I look at him he smiles and confirms to me that he loves me and thinks I hung the moon just for him. I love him!!! I love his BIG blue eyes, crazy fuzzy hair, the way he wobbles like a penguin, the way he tackles Isaac, and most of all that God chose him for us to be our calmness in our storm.

Well anyways, enough mushiness and on to the good stuff. He went to the doctor's today and at one Eli is weighing in at a whooping 24.14 lbs. and is 31.75 inches tall. He has 10 teeth and two of those are his one year molars that came thru actually before his second tooth from the front two teeth. Eli loves to run around the house and giggle at himself. He loves to eat obviously, and his favorite foods are probably bananas and sweet peas. He has a special blankie just like his older brother. He will give you a high five or yummy kisses. And he is very inquisitive.

Happy 1st Birthday Baby Boy!!!!! We love you!!!

Seriously, What is this World Coming To?

2009-04-23T23:40:00.002-04:00

Have any of you seen the new Burger King Kid's Meal commercial? If you haven't then watch it below. But if you have, what do you think about it? Me personally, I am completely shocked and sickened by it. I mean come on people you are selling to kids!!! And I surely don't want Isaac going around and singing "I like square butts..." The honest truth, I'm not sure I'll even purchase a kids meal from them because of that commercial. It is no wonder we have kids strutting their stuff at the age of 8. Good grief TV land people!!!

Who'd a Thunk

2009-04-20T20:36:00.005-04:00

Saturday my wonderful friend Tara came over to help me do some spring cleaning of my backyard. While she was there she had a great saying she kept using, "Work smart, not hard." She had brilliant ideas on how to get rid of roots that I couldn't get up, she told me how to kill an ant mound with cornmeal, and then she informed me of something I had never known before. Did you know that every box of aluminum foil, plastic wrap, etc. has these little things you push in on each end of the box to lock in the roll?! I honestly never knew that!!! Anyways I was telling my wonderful neighbors yesterday and they looked at me like I was way out there. I guess it was just a blond moment for me. But quick question, how many of you knew that?

Eli is Walking!!

2009-04-20T16:09:00.006-04:00

That is right!!! Eli is walking!!!! And well, he has been for about a week now his mom is just completely slacking on getting post up on this blog. And I believe I've got a good reason....Isaac and Eli are both on the move.....aghhh!!!! Well anyways it's really cute because he thinks he can keep up with the big kids. So here is the video. Enjoy it and by the way he is saying hi.

Ant's Can Swim.

2009-04-20T16:00:00.005-04:00

Sorry but this is another peeing post. I can't help it. Seriously my child goes to the bathroom anywhere!!! I told Barry when we, I mean HE, started letting Isaac go outside on a bush that we were in BIG trouble, but I figured we could, I mean I could, keep it under control. Well....I was wrong....I guess. So yes it happened again, but it is hilarious.

Isaac went with Barry to his softball game the other night. I was supposed to go but got distracted at a friends house so I never made it. No worries there were other people there NOT playing so Isaac was supervised. Any ways, so Isaac was at the game and I guess he decided he had to pee. So he looks around and finds an ant mound and decides to go right there. A mom from our church saw him and tried to abruptly stop him, but he was not having it. He informed her that the ants wanted to swim and so he was giving them water to swim with. She was shocked that ants knew how to swim, but he convinced her other wise.

Shake What Your Mama Gave You

2009-04-20T15:56:00.003-04:00

I love to listen to music and dance...especially in my car with Isaac. I put the radio on and when the beat comes on we shake it. And it is SO funny. So of course, did you actually think anything else, I recorded Isaac shaking what his mama gave him. Enjoy! And remember to get in your car and groove.

He Aims and He Scores

2009-04-19T22:46:00.004-04:00

As most of you have read before, my little Isaac LOVES to pee in random places. And by random I mean ANYWHERE, but the toilet!!!! Well last week, once again, he amazed me. Here is how it went down....

Okay so my mom flew back up to the SC with me and the boys. When she woke up Thursday morning she was in a bit, well a lot, of pain. She was trying to pass a kidney stone. And so for any of you that have done that you know that it is worse than have 3 children at one time. Anyways, so she was in the midst of passing it and well, I'm sure she is loving me for sharing this, but she had to go potty in a cup so she could see if she had passed the little rock. Well with that detail I believe Isaac over heard our conversation about peeing in a cup, and well the child never ceases to amaze to me. I walked in to find him standing on his stool, leaning over the bathtub and aiming for a small shampoo bottle in the tub. The crazier part is he did really well.

A Family Camping Trip, Wedding and a Honeymoon

2009-04-18T21:21:00.008-04:00

Well the SC Russell clan just went on a two week hiatus or a family vacation. Our trip started out with CAMPING!

You read it right folks... we- ME, Barry, Isaac and Eli....Did I say ME? Went camping!!!! Can you believe it? Well I did and boy was I a trooper. Just ask Barry. He told me he was very proud of me. Any ways enough of that, let me tell you just how awesome this campsite was.

We went to Hunting Island, SC. For those of you who have never heard of it, it is between Beaufort and Hilton Head and it is amazing. It is also known for some major Hollywood films too. Forest Gump's war scene's were filmed there and so were G.I. Jane's. The place is absolutely beautiful, peaceful, beautiful...did I say it is beautiful? It is!

Any ways back to our trip. We did an old fashioned style of camping, you know in a tent on the beach. I wasn't really sure what we needed to pack so I left the camping part of the trip up to Barry. He told me what to bring and I did. We got there on a Sunday afternoon and set up camp, started dinner, and enjoyed God's creation. The whole time we were setting up I was like "man I wish we'd brought this or that". And then I'd say, "next time we go I'm bringing this or that." But it was fun. Isaac enjoyed getting and staying dirty. Barry enjoyed showing me the outdoors. Eli, well he really didn't enjoy much of it at all, he had an allergic reaction to something and got hives, but he survived. I enjoyed it, but did decided on a few things that we will need next time or eventually if we continue this. My list is..

warm and cool clothes- the first night there it got into the 30's and we were NOT prepared. We ended up putting both boys in bed with us for us all to stay warm.

outdoor carpet- poor Eli had to stay in a Pack-n-Play the WHOLE time. If I had the carpet I could've put it down and put the play yard up for him to crawl around.

broom- I had to use a palm frawn to sweep out the tent. The nice people next to us saw me and let me use theirs.
cool decorative lights- all we had was campfire light or a lantern.

a Pop-Up- lots of people had those and it seemed a bit easier. You know the kitchen set up and the beds, but you still could open it up and feel like you were in a tent.

Well overall it was a blast. We did all the sight seeing stuff and really enjoyed one another's company. I'm pretty sure our fellow campers were ready to see us pack up and head out though (Eli cried most of the night...errrr..)

Check out ALL the pictures to the left under the Family Trip 2009.

After camping we headed to the good old Titusville, FL to drop off our wonderful children to grandparents, visit very quickly with family, do laundry, re-pack, and head a little north to St. Augustine. It was a short visit in Titusville, but me and Barry were SO looking forward to our best friend Chad Kane's wedding and of course a mini-honeymoon too.

Chad's wonderful parent graciously blessed us with 5 days and 4 nights at the Renaissance Resort at the World Golf Village. It was amazing! Barry and I had not been alone with no children, not our own or teenagers, since 2003 when our best friend Brandon got married. We so needed this little get-a-way. We got to sleep in, lay by the pool with no children to worry with, and watch whatever the heck we wanted to on T.V.!!! It was great. We also got to enjoy time with good old friends that we grew up with. Being with Chad and Brandon made us want to start an annual get together with them and their beautiful brides.

Anyways we really enjoyed the time we had, but the wedding was amazing too. Check out the pictures that I took in the Kane Wedding photo file to the left.

After the wedding Barry headed back to SC to take our students to Atlanta for a spring break mission trip. Check out his blog to hear about that. I drove south to pick up our boys and visit a few more days with family. Then me, the boys, and my mom flew back to SC. This was exciting for Isaac. He has flown several times, but this is the first time that he can remember and right now he loves planes and the idea of flying. He was really cute the whole time. And once we got way up in the air where you couldn't see any land below, he turns to us and says "look we are in outer space!!!! Look at the aliens!!!!" He had just gone to see Monsters vs. Aliens a couple days before so he was for sure they were after us. Eli on the other hand enjoyed the flight, but the ones of us traveling with him (everyone!) did not. He hates to be contained or held actually and he loves to hear his voice echo. So needless to say the two combined was not a good mix. I was SO ready to get off of the plane.

Overall our little vacation was much needed. We live, or well Barry lives, a very crazy life and schedule. So it was nice to not use cell phones or Internet for a few days and just completely depend on each other for enjoyment. The boys and I both needed that focus from our hero...daddy, babe, Barry.

Go-Girl

2009-03-24T15:11:00.003-04:00

Okay this is absolutely hilarious!!! But I'm sure once Barry finds out about it he'll be wanting me to get one. Check it out here for yourself!!!

A Trip to the Farm

2009-03-14T22:57:00.003-04:00

Our very good friends Keenan and Tara always talk to us about their adventures to "the farm". Well this weekend we got to go experience "the farm" with them. We were all excited and especially Isaac. We got up this morning and I was packing a small bag for our all day trip. I asked Isaac what he wanted to bring and he said, "I not need toys momma, I going to a farm. I'll play with the cows!" I started laughing. Well he got what he wanted. He saw cows, rode on a tractor, a off-rode golf cart, fed fish in a pond, rode four-wheelers, and cheered momma on while I shot a gun for the very first time. Check out our pictures and see just how much fun we had.

Guess What.....

2009-03-13T11:11:00.007-04:00

Some of you might be shocked and others not so much, but Barry and I........

TAKE A GUESS.

ARE YOU GUESSING?

KEEP TRYING?

NOT SURE?

Well here it is...........

That's right! We got tattoos. Sorry for anyone we've offended or disappointed, but please remember it's not of eternal value.

I Play Soccer!!!

2009-03-13T10:36:00.004-04:00

Isaac went to watch his first soccer game when he was 9 months old and from that moment on I think he had a desire to play. Then last spring we went and for months that is all he talked about. As a matter of fact, to this day, when we drive past the high school soccer field he tells us how he played soccer there and he's big now and will play with a feam (team). The only thing is is that you can't play soccer until you're three, well guess what world....he's three. So as soon as we were able and found out a place that offered the spring league we signed him up. And he is so excited!!! His team is the Dragons and they are sponsored by Sonic, BB&T, and Columbia Heart. Isaac is a pistol at it too, and very good I must say. Any ways here are some pictures from his first practice. I'm hoping to get his first game up today sometime. Enjoy! And GO Dragons!!!!

Isaac's first soccer practice

Isaac's first soccer game

Eli at 10 months.

2009-03-13T10:27:00.003-04:00

Eli is now ten months and is weighing in at a whopping 24 pounds and is 30 1/4 inches long! He is HUGE. He is only 6 pounds lighter and 5 3/4 inches shorter than his three year old brother. Crazy, crazy. Any ways he is still a very content, independent child who thinks Isaac hung the moon for him. He enjoys playing with his big brother and wrestling anyone that lays down on the floor. He loves eating, obviously. His favorite food is sweet peas, apples, and bananas and of course his bottle. He has really come to LOVE his sippy cup, well actually Isaac's and so we just purchased him one just like his brothers. Eli has also started walking, sort of. He took five steps by himself last weekend, and if he is holding on to something he will walk everywhere.

I Can't Believe It!

2009-03-02T23:08:00.009-05:00

I just wanted to apologize for being so mean about the below situation. After further listening and watching, I'm glad he did it now and not after the wedding. I do still think it should of been handled differently, but ABC controlled that whole thing. I am sure they got there money's worth. So congrats Jason and Molly, and congrats Melissa on your new reality life.

I don't normally make these kinds of post, but I have to! I am completely shocked about the outcome of the Bachelor tonight on ABC. I mean in complete shock. I had, and please notice the had here, respect for this Jason guy, but now I've lost it. What kind of REAL man proposes and then backs out for another girl. Dude what a jerk. If I could only get Melissa's number or contact information. I feel absolutely sorry, horrible, angry for her. I honestly would have slapped the crap out of him. And then onto him. Hasn't he ever heard the phrase, "never look back?!" And as for Molly, no offense, but I just don't like her. I swear they cartoonist from the "Jungle Book" used her eyes as his template for the snake that hypnotizes Mogul (spelling here, but the little
boy). Any ways I'm shocked honestly shocked. And the things going thru my head are not nice, sorry God. Oh I'm so mad at that jerk.

Ready Set....Don't Go

2009-02-18T17:32:00.003-05:00

This has nothing to do with Eli walking.

Okay so it is happening. Wesley is spreading his wings and flying off, tomorrow to be exact. As most of you know we took Wes in to our home at the beginning of November when we flew him home to be with his very sick mom. We told him then that no matter what happened our home was his. Well to be real honest I never imagined that his mom would really die. I think it was a denial thing for me, like why would a "good" God do something so wrong. Well He did. He took Ms. Jeanne from Wes, and us, three months ago. And well ever since then Wes has been one of ours. I really didn't intend on loving him like my own son, but I did/do.

When his mom first passed, he and I would spend many evenings talking, I would mostly listen, but it was good. He would share his dreams and desires and then ask what I thought about them. I would share my thoughts and then he would move onto another thought/concern. I remember one night within the first month of her passing, it was just him and I at the dinner table. He had shared a lot of his feelings, plans, and so on. I got up from the table, still listening, and went to start the dishes. He got quiet and then said, "You know, me and my mom used to do this. I would talk and she would just listen. Thanks." I said you're welcome and went on my way. It was nice to know he appreciated it, but I think it made him appreciate his mom more.

Any ways like I said at the beginning, Wes is flying out tomorrow early morning. And guess what, I'm sad. Actually I'm sad, scared, and worried. I really feel like my own son is going off to start his "new" life tomorrow. It was a bit unexpected, but deep down inside I've known it was going to happen eventually. He isn't a sitting duck, he gets bored, he loves an adventure. But I just didn't think it would happen this soon. He came to me last Wednesday, my birthday, gave me a dozen beautiful roses and card and then sat down at the kitchen table while I cooked dinner. I could tell he needed to talk or share something. I just came out and asked what was up. He then began sharing that he felt like God wanted him to GO and finish out the dream He has for him. The one him and his mom had talked many times about. I told him to go for it. Inside I was worried. Was he running from the grieving? I honestly hadn't really seen much emotion from him since the funeral, and he had finally taken care of all of stuff. Was he just not dealing? I didn't come out and share that with him though. No instead I said go for it and that I supported him all the way. He then went on to share his fears of disappointing Barry. Crazy I thought as he was talking. I seriously felt like I was having a conversation with my 18 year old son who is jumping from one career to another. I told him not to worry with Barry, but that he needed to talk with him. So that night me, Barry, and Wes set up until early the next morning and talked about his dreams, plans, goals. Barry shared that he was afraid he hadn't thought the whole thing out and that he was running from responsibility. I told him I was worried about the money and his bills, a true mother thought huh? We each sat there in the quietness of the room while Wes sat there and took in what our thoughts were. I happened to glace over and saw a little boy sitting there with his lip quivering. It broke my heart. I told him to stop holding back and to just cry. He said he didn't want to be weak. Barry and I both told him that a real man is one that will cry when he needs to. And at that moment, thru my tears and open ears I heard my son, Wes weep. He shared with us that he weeps every night to go to sleep and that he knows his mom wants him to GO and make disciples, and that he is ready. We told him that we supported him and that no matter what happened he is always welcome at our home. Our home is his home. And the very next day he began packing and getting his plans locked in.

Every night I've thought about it and every night I get a bit sad. And then over the weekend he asked if we could get a family picture taken so he could have his family go with him and at that moment I realized that he is our/my son. I might not be his birth mother, God knows I didn't birth him at age 7, but I am him mom and Barry is his dad. We will all miss him. And tomorrow I will watch, with a smile, my son spread his wings and fly and pray that we've all clipped them enough along the way to make them strong now. Wes, the boy I once couldn't barely stand, is now someone I will have a hard time letting go. Man God works in crazy ways.

As I was writing this I thought of a song by Billy Ray Cyrus, here are the lyrics and I've changed them a bit to match:

He's gotta do what he's gotta do

And we've gotta like it or not

He's got dreams too big for this town

And he needs to give 'em a shot

Whatever they are
Looks like he's all ready to leave

Nothing left to pack

There ain't no room for us in that car

Even if he asked us to tag along

God I gotta be strong

He's at the startin' line of the rest of his life

As ready as he's ever been

Got the hunger and the stars in his eyes

The prize is his to win

He's waitin' on our blessings before he hits that open road

Buddy get ready

Get set

Don't go

He says things are fallen into place

Feels like they're fallen apart

We painted this big ol' smile on our face

To hide our broken hearts

If only he knew

This is where we don't say what we want so bad to say

This is where we want to but we won't get in the way
Of his dreams

And spreadin' his wings

He's at the startin' line of the rest of his life

As ready as he's ever been

Got the hunger and the stars in his eyes

The prize is his to win

He's waitin' on our blessings before he hits that open road

Buddy get ready

Get set

Don't go

I-Saac

2009-02-17T16:47:00.007-05:00

So it is pretty offical that Eli's first word is his very own brother's name, Isaac.
Listen to this and tell me what you think.

Ready, Set, Goooooo

2009-02-17T16:12:00.003-05:00

Check it out, Eli is officially walking behind moving objects!

Oh No it's Grown!!!

2009-02-17T15:50:00.004-05:00

As most of you know Barry and I have joined our "Y". We love it by the way. Any ways Barry usually goes early in the morning and then heads straight to work from the gym. So with this being his plan, me being the wonderful wife that I am thought I would buy him some nice travel size products to take to the gym with him so he could shower there when he was done. Well I started realizing the body wash I got for him kept ending up in our shower. I thought it was weird and then realized he liked it. So, again, me being so wonderful I bought him "real" bottle of it for our shower. And here is where the story begins....

Isaac was in the bath Saturday night and I was sitting in the kitchen talking with Tara and Keenan. All of a sudden I hear Isaac yell....

"Holy Cow!!! It's gown (grown)!!! Agh!!!"
I run in there, "what has grown?"
"Daddy soap. It gotten HUGE! Wook (look)."

You see he had seen the travel size one in there. And to surprise Barry I had taken it out and replaced it with the new one. I traumatized my child. He now thinks everything will grow if it stays in the tub too long. Gees!

When I Grow Up

2009-02-11T13:32:00.005-05:00

Me and the boys were on our way to Bible Study this morning and we passed some farm land on our way, which I must mention we always pass it. Well today there was a man running a tractor.

"Oh momma! I wike fractors (tractors)!"

"I know you do. Did you see that one?"

"Momma. When I get bigger I want to be a cow boy. And wive (live) on a farm with goats, cows and........FRACTORS!!! I wove them!"

"That sounds like a plan bud!"

Just How Old Do You Think I Am?!

2009-02-10T15:51:00.006-05:00

My birthday is coming up tomorrow actually. And well aging is a hard thing for me. Not sure why? I've got great potential to look good when I'm older because every women on my mom's side of the family is hotter every year they get older. Even Barry says that he married me because he knew the older I'd get the better I would look because my mom, aunts, and grandma are hot. But for me it's just hard, and on a random note, I hate odd number birthdays too.

Well this week I was at the gym doing my usual CardioMix class, which I must add that I love. Any ways the particular teacher I have on Mondays always does crazy things the week of a holiday. And since Valentine's Day is Saturday she had us listen to David Cassidyn (sp) during our cardio workout. Crazy I know, but she made it traditional and crazy fun. So as we are finishing up and doing the stretching at the end of the class she starts asking who remembers and/or listened to him when they were growing up? I, without thinking or evening realizing, say out loud, "who is that anyways?" The teacher is like oh come on we've got to get you into the real world. And while she is saying that, a girl two people down from me was likel "common don't you remember him in the Partridge Family?" And I was like, "what?! No--do you mean the Brady Bunch?" She then giggles and says this to me..."Oh come on you know you watched the Partridge Family when you little, stop being silly." I then looked at her, trying to be cool, and responded with, "well actually NO I didn't. Just how old do you think I am?" She then says without hesitation that she thought I was in my mid to late thirties!!!! Can you believe that?! I mean no offense to those of you that age, but do I really look that old? I know I'm aging. I've got this picture of me and Isaac when he was six months and then one of me and Eli at six months and I can tell I've aged a lot in those 2.5 years, but PLEASE tell me I don't look like I'm as old as that lady thought.

Now for the ones of you wondering how I responded to that lovely 37 year old lady. I very calmly looked at her and informed her that I would only be 28 this week.

She really had some nerve didn't she. EERGH........

Me and Isaac at 6 months.

Me and Eli at 6 months.

Giggle, Giggle

2009-02-10T13:48:00.003-05:00

I must tell you all that Eli has the BEST laugh ever. And if you've ever heard it I'm sure you'd agree. Since was able to start laughing it has been the greatest. It's not your normal laugh. It is a deep down belly laugh. Do you know what I mean? It's one of those laughs that gets everyone laughing. So of course, I'm sure you already knew this was coming, but I took a video of Eli laughing at Isaac last week after dinner. Eli always is laughing at Isaac. So here it is. Enjoy and remember to laugh today!

Happy Birthday Granny

2009-02-08T12:38:00.003-05:00

Last Tuesday was my Granny's, Isaacs' Great-Granny's, birthday. I recorded this to send to her for her birthday. Too cute!

If the Shoe Fits Wear it.

2009-02-04T14:34:00.006-05:00

A few weeks back we were getting ready for gymnastics and I was running around trying to get the boys dressed. And after getting them dressed I told Isaac to go get his shoes on. He said okay and ran off. I was rinsing some dishes and really paid no attention to what he was doing. I walk in ready to go, I walk to the front door and notice he is taking forever. And then I hear this thumping sound. I turn around and he is coming with Barry's shoes on. I informed him that those were not his shoes and he needed his. He insisted they were his. Okay I may be a few fries short of a Happy Meal, but I'm not a whole hamburger short of one. Did he really think wouldn't be able to tell the size difference?

No "Gurls" Allowed

2009-02-04T14:19:00.004-05:00

Well its finally happened. I really thought I had awhile for this, but Isaac has figured out that I'm a gurl and he's a boy and gurls are yucky. Very sad, very sad. It has been a gradual thing, like we would be driving and listening to the radio and a song with a girl singing would come on and he would say, "I not like this song, it's a gurl song." Then a song with a guy singing would come on and he would say, "this song is for boys! You not a boy, you a gurl!" I would laugh and go on about my business. Well about two weeks ago we were driving and he saw an electronic billboard advertising for The Monster Truck Rally. Barry and I were talking and he yelled out, "I want to go see those monster frucks!" We were like huh? And then we noticed the sign. Barry said okay that he could go. He then goes, "Me and you go daddy, not momma. Momma a gurl and gurls aren't allowed. And Eyi can't go, he's a baby. No gurls or babies allowed, see?!" Barry and I laughed and agreed that it would just be him and Barry, no gurls or babies. We counted down to the day and they finally went on Friday night. He had a BLAST! I'll just post one picture of him looking SO amazed. And you can see the rest on Barry's blog.

What Do You Think?

2009-01-27T17:00:00.006-05:00

Here is Isaac at 8 1/2 months old and here is Eli at 8 1/2 months old.
Do you think they look alike?

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

2009-01-23T17:16:00.005-05:00

Barry and I spent Jan. 15-19th in Gatlinburg, TN with our youth for a ski trip. It snowed off and on pretty much the whole time we were there. We were both so excited and the whole time we kept saying how much we wished we had Isaac with us. I would call to check on the boys and Isaac kept asking me to bring him home a REAL snowman. I informed him that the snowmen had all gone home to take naps, but he just didn't get it.

Well God is good because as we were leaving Gatlinburg on Monday morning it started really snowing and I silently prayed that we would get a few flurries in SC so Isaac could experience it. So as we're driving back Wes pulled out his iPhone and checked the weather and they were calling for snow in SC on Tuesday. I got so excited, but figured it was probably wrong. By the time we got back to Irmo parents were picking up their students and saying that the schools would most likely be closed on Tuesday. I got so excited even though I still wasn't sure about the snow coming or not. So I get home and start watching the news and it really looks like we'll be getting some sort of wintry precipitation, not sure what kind or how much. Well we went to bed and that particular night Eli didn't sleep at all. So being his mother I was the up with him. I was like a kid waiting for Santa to come. Every hour I would go in and peek out the window to see if it was snowing. At 5 a.m. I looked out and still there was nothing and by now Eli had FINALLY fallen asleep and I went up to Isaac's bed to try to get some shut-eye myself. Next thing I hear is Isaac yelling that the snowman had come. I brought Eli downstairs and tried to lay back down, but all I could hear was the excitement Isaac had and how he wanted to play in it. I got back up and got out his snow clothes (two years ago I found a snow bib on sale for $6 at Target; it was 12 months but thought we could use it someday; crazy enough Isaac can still fit in it!). We put on his boots, bibs, jacket, gloves, hat and scarf and out him and Barry went. There wasn't much, but it was enough to make his day. Check out the pictures in SC Snow day folder over to your right. I've also posted a video below.

The Inauguration

2009-01-20T13:26:00.005-05:00

I know that I usually blog on here about my family only, but today I want to blog about what took place today in history. Today for the first time in American history a black man became President. Now to be honest, I did not vote for Obama, but I don't want to get into that. Today for me was NOT about politics. Today was about a change that I thought probably would never happen in my time. Not that I didn't want it to happen, but because generations before me have made it clear that it just wouldn't happen. So today I sat and watched the inauguration and actually cried. And I think that the only other inauguration that I have ever watched was when I was in the fifth grade and I believe President Bill Clinton was elected. Our fifth grade teachers made us watch it and so I did. And I'm pretty sure I didn't cry over it either. But today as I watched I sat there and thought about all the trials "blacks" have faced and some continue to face. I do think they sometimes over due their trials, but the truth is that they have NEVER had the chance to to be in such a high power position. Actually I believe its not that they've never had the chance, I think its more so they never had someone brave enough to take on the challenge. But Obama, a highly educated black man stepped up to the plate and TRIED. He tried to break tradition and he did. He has done something no other black man has been able to do before and he has opened a door for young people growing up today. I know people have their own personal opinions on the whole situation, but for once can we all agree that he is has done something that Martin Luther King Jr. dreamed of. And notice how ironic it is that we just celebrated the King holiday, yesterday, and now today his dream came true. Also on another side note, I would like each of you who are worried, sad, or even angry about what took place to stop and let God have control of this. I'm not saying I support all of his policies or actually really anything he has put in front of us, but what I am saying is that I trust God in this. And God allowed Obama to be in this position, and even if it wasn't the man I or maybe even God really wanted He will be in control of it no matter what. He is the ruler over all and as long as we all continue to pray for this man and this country God will bless us, maybe not now but eventually. And who knows, maybe Obama is the man to bring this country back to what it was founded on, God. I guess we will see.

Finally!

2009-01-20T12:11:00.003-05:00

Here is the only sippy cup that I have found that Eli will drink his milk (formula) out of. All I can say is F-I-N-A-L-L-Y! It really helps when I'm trying to fix a meal for Isaac and Eli is hungry. The small things in life are what makes me happy.

Youth Ski Trip 2009

2009-01-20T11:46:00.004-05:00

This past weekend Barry and I took about 45 students to Gatlinburg, TN for our annual ski trip. It was awesome. We got there Friday afternoon and got to go skiing/ snowboarding. And then about 15 of them got to go again on Saturday. We had a blast! It was very cold. Actually it was probably the coldest weather I have ever been in, or at least since I can remember. When we arrived Friday it was only 18 degrees, I think the high that day was 23 degrees. By the time we left the slopes it was only 8 degrees. It was cold. We got to see lots of snow and ice. It was fun. Check out the pictures in the folder Ski Trip 2009 to see more.

Me and Barry on the slopes.

Our one and only injury. Brandon was snowboarding on Friday and a guy in front of him fell and the guys snowboard hit Brandon in the face. I got 14 stitches and it shattered the upper part of his nose. He goes to see a surgeon this week. OUCH!

This is a frozen fountain in Downtown Gatlinburg. Beautiful isn't it?

Check out this video that I took of our Jr. High Pastor, Trevor, and then one of our Sr. High students, Grant. It is halirious!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7RdR5uc0U-g

My Little Snowboarder

2009-01-20T11:35:00.004-05:00

As some of you know we went on our annual youth ski trip this past weekend. Well while we were getting ready Wes pulled out his snowboard boots and snowboard. Isaac was up there when he did this and he really wanted to try it all on. So Wes being the great big brother that he is, he brought all his stuff downstairs and took it upon himself to suit Isaac up. I walked in and died laughing. The board was bigger than Isaac. Any ways here are the pictures I got. Silly boys!

Eli in His Carseat

2009-01-20T11:29:00.002-05:00

So, do you think it's time to move him to a bigger carseat since

he can sit himself up in his infant one?

He's Growing Up

2009-01-20T11:11:00.003-05:00

Here are some recent pictures of Eli. He is really growing up fast. As you can read in an earlier post, he is crawling and pulling up on things. I believe he will be walking in the next couple of weeks. I wasn't as prepared for his mobileness like I was with Isaac. Isaac started crawling at 9 months and walked at 10 months, so I honestly thought Eli would be the same and maybe even later since we all enjoyed carrying him around all the time. Boy was I wrong he started crawling at 7.5 months and I believe he will be walking by 9. Its crazy here now with all these mobile boys.

Any ways here are some pictures of my "baby" boy doing some of his new things.

Eli in the bath. He loves bathtime.

Eli standing at the door watching daddy and Isaac play soccer.

Eli playing with his table. He pushes it around the room too.

Boys and Bathrooms

2009-01-20T10:53:00.003-05:00

Okay so Isaac has been potty trained for about a year now. It honestly was the easiest thing I ever went thru with him. He literally woke up one morning, took a bath, and when I went to put a diaper on him he said that he wanted to wait underwears like his bear. He had a bear the Wesley had made him at Build-a-Bear that wore boxers. So I said okay and he's been in underwear ever since. Seriously it was that easy.

Well about two weeks ago I started smelling urine in my bathroom. I had cleaned it and still smelled it. I know boys and men sometimes are bad at aiming, but I had never noticed it before. I also knew that while we were in FL for the holidays that Isaac had gotten a stomach bug had caused him to have some accidents while he was pottying (sh-arting moments= when you pass gas and well...figure it out). So he had started sitting down to pee. I thought maybe he was peeing out the front. I just couldn't figure it out. Well two Thursday's ago I go into the bathroom while he is pottying and I see him standing there peeing....EVERYWHERE, ALL OVER MY WALL!! Now if you've been to my bathroom lately you know that my wall right by the toilet is stripped down to the drywall (I've got issues-I love peeling paint whenever it starts peeling). So Isaac is standing there peeing on my drywall!!! I freaked. Here is how the conversation went....

"Isaac what do you think you're doing?!"

Isaac turns to look at me while he is still peeing, "what momma?"

"You ARE peeing on my wall!"

"Yes, momma." Looking at me like I'm the crazy one.

At this moment I turn him around and swat his bottom, "Isaac Tilton you know you are not allowed to pee on anything but the toilet. You know better! What the heck are you thinking?!"

By now he has stopped peeing and is pulling up his pants, "Momma, I just colorwing wif my wiener!" He is still looking at me like I'm the one that has lost their mind.

I pause and gather my composer. I can't dare let him see me cracking up.

"Buddy, we don't color with our wiener on the wall. If you do it again you're in big trouble," I walk out and bust out laughing.

And so I've figured out where the urine smell was coming from...argh.

What is it with boys and their wieners and peeing?

What's Your Name?

2009-01-13T17:58:00.003-05:00

Isaac has known his and Eli's name for awhile now. But last week when Eli started I called him Eli James. Isaac freaked out and tried to correct me with his name is not "Eyi James, it's E-Yi!" I tried to explain, but he just didn't get it. Well a bit later Isaac came up and asked if he had a middle name. I told him yes and ever since he has been saying his name like a big boy.

Side note: if you're wondering why I said Barry's name is Daddy Tilton Russell, it's because Isaac keeps calling us by our names and not momma and daddy.

And He's Off.....

2009-01-13T17:40:00.004-05:00

Eli started for real crawling last week. No more army crawl. My life just got a bit more crazy!

Fun in Florida

2009-01-13T17:06:00.006-05:00

As you know from reading the earlier post, we headed to good ole' Florida for our Christmas vacation. We had a blast just chilling. I think Barry and Wes surfed or skated every day the first week we were there. I got to get some MUCH needed girl time with my sister, sister-in-laws, and friends from high school. All of the time was amazing. The boys also got some fun time with their toys and cousins as well.

Eli LOVED taking his baths in my parents kitchen sink. It is the perfect size for a little boy like him. I'd love to have one at my house.

They played outside A LOT. The weather was beautiful.

Light's Before Christmas at the Zoo

2009-01-13T16:52:00.005-05:00

Once again the zoo had their annual Light's Before Christmas shindig. It is always amazing. We love to go. Last year we happened to go on probably the coldest night of the year, so this year we decided to go during a "warm front" we had come thru. Seriously it had been in the high 70's that week. So on Sunday we decided we'd head down there to enjoy it with out freezing our you know what's off. Well wouldn't you know that evening a major cool front came in. It was extra windy and VERY cold. We still had fun, but didn't stay as long as we would've liked. Isaac and Barry got to roast marshmallows and then Isaac got to sit on Santa's lap. He did amazing with Santa too. Check out the pictures under the Photo File.

Our Christmas

2009-01-13T15:25:00.007-05:00

This year our Christmas was WONDERFUL! For the first time since Barry and I have been married, we got to stay in Titusville the whole day. Before kids we would get there and a few days before and then Christmas morning we would get up and do Christmas with my mom and dad and then head to his mom's house and rush thru Christmas with her and his siblings. We would then load up and head to his grandma's house and spend most of the day there and then head back to T-ville that evening. It was always rushed and very stressful. Then once all of us started having babies and Barry working full-time at the church it got even more stressful. We would get up way too early on Christmas morning and drive to Waldo (where Barry's Nanny lives) and get there a bit before lunch/dinner. Barry's mom and siblings would get there a couple hours later and then we would have to eat and run so we could get onto T-ville to do Christmas with my family. Nothing about it was enjoyable, well seeing family was great, but with all the rushing it just wasn't fun. So FINALLY, we got to have a slow moving Christmas day. We drove to T-ville thru the night so the boys would sleep, Eli hates being in the car. We got to my parents house and had to set up everything the stuff we got Isaac and Eli. We finally got to bed about 5:45 am. And at 7:30 we were awakened to Isaac screaming that "he" came!!! Barry was so startled that he that the house was on fire. We got up and went into do Christmas. Isaac was SO into it to this year and that made it even more exciting. Select the Christmas 2008 under Photo Files to see all the pictures from that amazing day. It was a blast! And very relaxing, something we needed this year.

The Arby's Birthday Commercial

2008-12-20T22:25:00.002-05:00

Have you seen this? I absolutely LOVE this commercial!!!

Seriously, everytime it comes on I crack up laughing. I totally see me and Barry doing this! Hehehehehehe!!!!!!

Isaac's First Camping Trip

2008-12-20T22:19:00.007-05:00

I told you in an earlier post that I would let you go visit Barry's blog to hear all about their first camping trip together, any ways they had a blast! (click on "barry's blog" to get to read about his camping trip)

A Day at the Park

2008-12-19T22:29:00.003-05:00

It has been in the mid to high 70's this week. A bit warm for SC in the month of December. I believe God is preparing me for the warmness of FL that we will be in next week. Thanks God for preparation!!! I really hate drastic temp changes so He knows what He is doing. Any ways with all the warm weather and with the crazy week(s) I've had (read below to catch up) I decided we should have a picnic at the Duck Park. So I sort of bribed my eldest son and we FINALLY made it there. It was perfect!!! We each ate our sandwiches and bag of chips and because I'm so "cool" we drank our diet cokes that I stopped to get us from good ole mickey D's. I thought he was something else too. Because not only did his "cool" mom stop and get him a diet coke, she also brought his scooter. So then he got to cruise around the pond to the playground while all the other kids there had to walk. Yes, I know, I'm so "cool". Any ways we ate and then we played. We hung upside down on the monkey bars (don't laugh, I can still do that for real). We raced and then we sat and rested. It came time to go and he hopped back on his scooter and off we cruised. A VERY much NEEDED FUN day for a mommy and her sons.

H E L P!!!!!

2008-12-19T22:09:00.002-05:00

We have really been having a time with Isaac. He is throwing the worst fits and is almost out of control at times. And honestly I'm exhausted! I feel like all I do all day long is discipline him. Like I'm the bad guy all the time. At night I'm going to bed feeling as though he probably hates me, but I know I'm doing what God has told me to, "Spare the rod, spoil the child". I have tons of people telling me to hang in there, it will get better, but when people?! When?! There are literally days lately that I'm ready to pull my hair out. I know I've aged a few years just in the past 6 weeks. Seriously it's like he went to bed 2 years old and the very next day woke up a terrible three year old. I know you're thinking, no Nikki its not terrible three's, it's terrible two's. Well I've got something to tell you...you are WRONG!!! It is terrible three's!!! Testing three's!!! Totally all about me three's!!!! Did you get all that?! I just don't know what to do from here. I'm at a loss, really. I know the child is hyper, okay WAY hyper, but what do I do for a three year old? I've cut out the sugar, I've done time-outs, tried spanking, and tossing out toys that seem to know how to fly. But NONE of this is working. I mean, sure I could beat him, but that is against the law and I wouldn't dare do anything to get him taken away from me. I know there are days I feel like I'd like to sell him to the circus, but at night when he is going to bed he is SO DARN CUTE with his "kiss me here momma", "momma lay down I need to tell you a story", and the best of all "momma I love you. you be careful momma." And those very words erase a horrible day and the idea of the circus. What could I be doing wrong all day? Why does he have to hit EVERYONE? He doesn't see this at home? He is going to have any friends. All of this runs through my head ALL night long. I go to bed thinking about it, and I wake up thinking about it. I am all night long planning the next day so it will come easy to me, and then it doesn't. It really makes me sad. I know, I know, put on my big girl pantie's and deal with it. But today I can't. Today I'm consumed with it. Today of all days? Why? It's really been a good day. Thanks to the advice from my mom. We woke up to a rough start, but then we got busy doing "school" work if you may. Then I made a deal with him. He said calm and listened, threw no fits or items we would go to the park. And it worked!!! I started him out with 1 strike. If he got to 3 strikes we wouldn't go to the park. Now, we did get to 2, but we did make it to the park. I just don't know why it worked today? I've done that before and sure by after nap time he was back to his wild side, but at least for a few hours there was peace in Russell land. But now I'm sitting here planning for tomorrow, how will tomorrow be? Well off to try to sleep. I am hoping for a FULL nights rest. Believe it or not Barry took Isaac on a REAL camping trip (and since he is the only child that doesn't sleep thru the night and he won't be here, I'm sure to get sleep...yes!), I'll totally blog about that later, well actually Barry probably will he now has a blog too check it out www.barryrussell.blogspot.com. But I'm sure I'll have some pictures to post. Okay well if you have any advice, PLEASE pass it this way. I'm open.

More New Stuff

2008-12-19T22:02:00.002-05:00

Eli has really started growing up the past couple of weeks. Here is a picture of his new favorite thing, sitting in his booster seat drinking out of his sippy cup. Enjoy the other pictures too.

Ready Set Go.....

2008-12-19T20:59:00.014-05:00

Eli has started alot of new things the past couple of weeks. The biggest is the above. He is one the move. And boy is he fast! Last night I had Isaac in the bath and Eli was in the living room floor playing with a toy and all the sudden I hear him yelling, "babababab".

And in he came. So cute.

Yummy!

2008-12-19T20:18:00.004-05:00

Last Saturday Barry's work had their staff Christmas party. We've gone every year since we've been married. How you wonder? Well because the first year we were married I was the church

secetary and then the next year Barry was an intern and then from there he become the youth pastor. So anyways, lets just say they are not your traditional staff Christmas parties, especially

for a church staff. Now don't get me wrong it's not booze and craziness, it's just REAL honest fun. We always get together at a house and have buffet style dinner. After that comes the LONG awaited, start planning the year before, White Elephant gift exchange (everyone brings a gift, you draw numbers, unwrap a gift or steal from someone else). Now it is not like any other gift exchange. Let me tell you, people actually start planning their gifts a year ahead of time, the exchange is taken VERY seriously. So with all this said we were really looking forward to the gift exchange this year. I pulled out some items that I had from last year and knew these were the perfect items for this occasion. We wrapped the gifts and headed to the party. Long story short Barry and I ended up with one LAME gift, a pilate video and book, I figured maybe God was sending me a message not to run anymore...NOT. Barry got a decent gift, perhaps one of you will receive it, so I won't tell what it is, but it's pretty good. The whole time Barry and I both were eyeing a gingerbread house decorating kit. I did end up with it, but then a lovely lady, who I won't name, stole it from me. And after that steal it was dead, no one else could get it. Well after the exchange ended and the party was over the lady that stole the gingerbread house kit came to me and told me I could have the kit. I told her no that it was alright and she told me to take it. So without hesitation I did. I got in the car and thought I wonder if the threat I said to her really scared her (I told her she should feel bad because that was for a poor mother who's child is driving her crazy lately!). I apologized silently and forgot about the dirty situation, put the kit up and went to bed. Well the next day at church I saw the lady again. She pulled me aside to let me know the real reason she gave it to me. Great I thought I've hurt her feelings! She then goes on to tell me that because she had just spent a week with Barry in Belize she knew how much I needed this fun thing to do with a child who has the same energy as his father. She also said she would be praying for me to have patience with the two of them. So any ways, here are the pictures of the gingerbread house! Thank you "angel lady" we really enjoyed the FUN time together.